A Monk's Tale
by gman391
Summary: Naruto leaves the village as a young boy to live in a monastery. Years later he has returned with some unique skills and secrets. This is his story
1. Chapter 1

A Monk's Tale

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

_**Kyuubi speech**_

I don't own Naruto. Do I really have to say this every time? I do? Well crap

**Scene change **

Chapter 1

Brother Zhou was resting against a tree he had travelled a long way from the shrine of Tastua. He guessed that he could make it back to the Mt. Shaoshi Monastery in a day or too provided there were no complications. A loud scream interrupted Zhou's meditations _'that will teach me to assume things are going to stay the same'_ he thought. However Zhou was a good man and not one to ignore those in need. So he got up and went over to the sound to see a small child no older the 4 cowering from a pack of dogs. Pulling out his monk's spade he disabled the dogs quickly. While the child watched in awe

"You alright boy?" he asked looking down at the blond boy

"Y-yes sir" Naruto for his part was amazed by who skilled the man had showed in the fight against the dogs. The man was wearing a simple gray robe with a shaved head and kind looking gray eyes.

"Good now get back to your parents" the shaved man said

"Don't have any" the young fox boy said

"Orphanage?" the monk said feeling bad for reminding the kid of his loss of family

"Said I wasn't allowed to go back" said the blond in a happy tone

"I'm probably going to regret this but come on I got a place you can stay" Zhou said at last trying to figure out why someone would do that

"Where?" Naruto said curious most people didn't want anything to do with him. Getting someone to pay attention to him was usually an exercise in futility.

"It's a monastery we often taken in young orphans like you, usually on tours but I'll make an exception this time." The gray eyed man answered

"What's a monastery?" the blue eyed boy getting excited. Normally Naruto didn't trust people easily but he had a knack for seeing past peoples masks, and he saw someone who cared.

"Tell you on the way there...." the monk said getting the feeling that Naruto was chaos incarnate. Feeling a chakra signature coming one with fairly high killer intent behind it. Zhou decided it was time to leave

"Come on we're leaving" he said grabbing Naruto and carrying him.

Five minutes later and one very pissed off Kakashi. "Where the fuck did he go? He knows better than to run off. Damn those chuunins for letting the dogs chase him." Kakashi said quietly angry. The one eyed jonin had been assigned to look after Naruto when it was discovered he had been kicked out of the orphanage, it was a little annoying but overall good work. Kakashi had taken a liking to Naruto who reminded him a lot of his sensei the Yondaime besides the kid was chaos and always good for a laugh. Thinking quickly Kakashi summoned Pakkun

"Smells like a monk came through here but Naruto's trail is being covered up by the dogs. Sorry but I can't track him" the Nin-dog said mournfully knowing his summoner's connection to the boy

"What about the monk's" the silver haired jonin asked

"More of the same" the dog answered

"Damn, thanks Pakkun you can go back now." the masked man said. Pakkun nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"The Hokage's going to be so pissed..." Kakashi said with a sigh he was still angry he had lost the blond but Sandaime would take it even worse.

**7 years later Konoha's gate**

"Halt who goes there" Kakashi said. The Hokage had been forcing him to do guard duty once a week for the last seven years without his Icha-Icha Paradise as punishment for loosing Naruto.

"I'm just a traveler shinobi-san" a medium sized boy with a shaved head that was showing blond stubble and blue eyes. Kakashi felt he knew this boy and played a hunch

"Naruto?" the silver haired man asked

"Do I know you shinobi-san?" the blue eyed boy said confused

"Not directly but I looked out for you when you were little..." the one eyed jonin said

"Inu-san!" the gray robed boy chirped having figured it out from the hair.

"Yeah, guess it's the hair. So where did you go Naruto?" Kakashi was curious

"To the monastery on Mt. Shaoshi, Brother Zhou found me being attacked by some dogs and took me" a nostalgic, whiskered boy answered

"I see so why are you here?" the jonin asked it was after all procedure

"My seal needs to be looked at we are not sure what effects my purifying the yokai has on it and we want to be sure nothing too dangerous is going to happen" the blue eyed boy answered

"So you know the truth but how do you purify the yokai?" Kakashi was getting annoyed that Naruto wasn't telling the whole story but he was a little nervous too. Kakashi had seen the seal and knew it was suppose to purify the chakra gradually. Speeding up didn't seem like a bad idea but a seal that complicated, well who knew?

"That is a secret of my order I afraid Inu-san. Still may I go see the Hokage he is said to be handy with seals, even if it's not as much as his student Jiraiya" Naruto said with a serene smile

"Sure you know the way?" the masked man realized he wouldn't get a lot more out of the boy

"Yes thank you Inu-san" the shaved boy said with a bow. Naruto walked thru the gates exuding a calming sense of serenity. '_That kid is something else'_ Kakashi thought as he went back to passing the time cloud watching.

'_Thank Kami he bought the serene monk routine'. _Naruto thought as he passed the gate. The blond although not as bad as he was when he was younger still possessed a mischievous spirit that normally got him into trouble.

**Hokage Tower**

"It will only take a moment" Naruto said trying to get in to see the Hokage

"You cannot see the Hokage without an appointment!" the secretary was not making it easy

"I really need to see him" the blue eyed boy tried to convince her

"It's not happening brat" the brown haired woman answered

"Tell him the legacy has returned and let him decide" Naruto gave one last gambit

"The legacy? Chika send him in" The Hokage said overhearing the conversation

"Lord Hokage!" the secretary known as Chika interjected

"That will be enough Chika" Sandaime said warmly

"Thank you Hokage-sama." The blue eyed boy said. Naruto entered into the Hokage's office and looked at the old man. The Hokage seemed to be sizing him up. After several minutes of intense scrutiny by the Sandaime, Naruto was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"So you claim to be Naruto Uzumaki occasionally called Yondaime's legacy?" the gray haired man asked suspicious of the boy in front of him.

"Hai" the boy answered with a smile

"Proof?" Sarutobi knew the boy would need something to convince him that this was Naruto.

"I have a seal on my stomach and a very annoying tenant named Kyuubi no Kitsune" the shaved boy said

"Show me" the Hokage demanded

"Gladly the reason I came here was to get you to look at the seal" Naruto said. And pulled off the upper half of his robe and focused chakra into the seal making it visible. Sarutobi took a good long look at the seal. It was the same seal Naruto had had when little, it seemed to be stronger than expected almost as if something else was doing part of the work.

"As far as I can tell it's still fine. However I would like to get Jiraiya to look at it." The gray haired man said.

"In this situation that is acceptable. Where is Jiraiya?" Naruto asked

"I don't know he just made his yearly report and won't be back for at least a year." The Hokage said with a laugh at Naruto's expression.

"So what am I suppose to do for a year?" the shaved boy asked rhetorically

"You could join the ninja academy" the old man said hopefully

"I have not trained to be a ninja at all..." Naruto said cautiously

"True but I am willing to get you a tutor for the techniques. Besides if your robes are any indication you were trained and you probably took to it like water." The bearded Kage said

"Admittedly I am skilled in hand to hand combat but that in no way implies that I wish to become a contract murderer." Naruto said deciding to head off the old man before this conversation went any farther

"Is that what you think ninja's do?" the Hokage asked a bit saddened by Naruto's cynical view.

"Not always but I have no doubt that if I became a ninja I would have to murder people." The blue eyed boy said nonplussed by the Hokage's disappointment

"It's usually self-defence" the kindly old man explained

"I'm not referring to that. I have no problem killing in defence of someone else or myself. I have a problem _murdering _people because I was paid to." Naruto said giving voice to his distaste for the ninja profession

"Everything requires sacrifices" Sarutobi countered

"That is true however it is my choice. And I don't see a reason to fight for this village" with a shrug the shaved blond gave his reason for not wanting to be a ninja

"You truly mean that?" Sarutobi felt hurt, he had known that Naruto would be reluctant but hadn't thought that Naruto had forgotten the village.

"I'll admit I have some loyalty to you and Inu-san and my other 'caretakers' but by and large the village hates me. I don't blame them but why would I stay where I am hated?" Naruto said sympathizing with the old man no one wants to hear their home being bad mouthed

"Actually most of the older generation have forgotten you and the younger generation doesn't know of you to them you ever existed. Naruto Uzumaki disappeared one night and was never spoken of again. I believe that if you try you can gain the respect of the village. Naruto you weren't born to be a simple monk that option was taken when the sealing occurred. You were born to be a hero and you can't do that in a monastery" the old Kage said trying to get Naruto to reconsider

"You truly believe that? Even knowing what I contain and the fact that I care little for Konoha you would still trust me and believe in me?" the boy was shocked he had never thought that the Hokage cared so much. Maybe there was something to this village after all? The blond wondered

"Yes Naruto I do. I knew your father and I believe you inherited his Will of Fire and his sense of honour. All I ask is that you go to the academy for a year if it still doesn't work out then I'll allow you to return to the monastery." Sarutobi said with a small smile at the sight of Naruto in deep thought

"I see. If you truly believe in me then I can't let you down can I? Besides Master Wu always said I was never suited to a quiet life in a monastery. I will stay until Jiraiya arrives and then make my decision" Naruto said after several minutes and a laugh.

"All right then Naruto. I'll provide you an apartment. The first term of this year starts in a few weeks you'll start then. Until that time I'll give you a tutor in the form of Kurenai Yuuhi she's still recovering from the jonin exam as such this will be a nice easy post for her. She's intelligent and should be able to get you mostly caught up by the time class starts" the Hokage said with mirth in his eyes.

"Alright so umm can I get that apartment now?" the blue-eyed boy said with a smirk"

"Tell you what I'll take you there personally" Sandaime said.

**Naruto's Apartment**

"This is nice place" the whiskered boy commented. The apartment was a nice 3 room deal with a bedroom, living area and a separate bathroom. It was already furnished for some reason. Naruto gave a questioning look to the Hokage

"Yes this entire complex is used to house visiting dignitaries. However I own it I feel that it's a good place to live. Given your past you'll probably know how to be diplomatic and it's a lot better than most places." The old man answered the implied question

"Alright, thank you very much Master Sarutobi" the shaved boy said with gratitude

"Why do you call me that?" Sarutobi didn't mind the term but it was odd

"It's a term of respect that the order gives to those in authority, besides it's more unique then 'Hokage-sama' isn't it?" The blue eyed boy said with a smile

"That it is Naruto that it is. I'll have Kurenai come over tomorrow around 10 to get you caught up to speed." The Hokage said with a chuckle.

"Thank you Master Sarutobi. Well time to go earn my keep" Naruto said nonchalantly

"What do you mean?" asked the old man confused

"You know earning my keep taking on odd jobs to earn some money or food. It is how I got here after all" the boy answered as if it was the most natural thing in the world

"Naruto I fully intend to give you money to live on." The white haired man said incredulous the Naruto expected to work for a living while going to the academy

"That isn't necessary Master Sarutobi" Naruto said confused by the Hokage's reaction. It was from Naruto's perspective perfectly normal to work for a food and money and use the latter quickly so that one would never fall prey to greed. Shrugging his shoulders mentally the young jinchuruki decided not to argue about it.

"I think it is. That said how about we go get some ramen?" the old man said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Ramen?" the blond felt his day getting more and more strange

"I'm sure you'll love it." Sarutobi said with a smile.

The Hokage led Naruto to Ichikaru's and after some mindless pleasantries began to eat ramen. Well Naruto ate ramen Teuchi, Ayame and Sarutobi just sat there in shock as Naruto polished off bowl after bowl. Yes even having never tasted Naruto was still a ramen addict that put an Akimichi to shame. With a satisfied sigh Naruto pushed away the last bowl.

"That was really good. You're a wonderful cook Teuchi-san" the boy said smiling

Teuchi nodded numbly. The boy had cleaned out his entire 20 gallon pot of ramen.

"How much do I owe Teuchi-san?" Sarutobi asked wearily.

"Not sure I'll get the bill to you tomorrow" Teuchi answered still shocked at the amount of ramen the boy had ate.

"Alright Naruto let's go back to your apartment "the old Kage said suppressing a groan at the possible bill. The blue eyed buy nodded and followed the Sandaime.

Back at Naruto's apartment Sarutobi said good bye to the young monk and mentioned that Kurenai would be there around 8 tomorrow morning. Naruto nodded and began his nightly meditation

**Naruto's Mindscape**

**Let me out!**

_No_

**You would defy the great Kyuubi no Kitsune?**

_I would. Every night we go through this Kyuubi–san why don't you give up?_

**I will not be purified by a brainless monkey**

_So that is what frightens you. Purification will not kill you Kyuubi-san I intended to leave enough yokai for you to live on._

**Living on the sufferance of a pathetic monk? I was not meant to be caged I was meant to be an incarnation of destruction!**

_You were one. Now you are a prisoner accept it._

**Why should I?**

_You have no choice. the seal is still intact we are linked. I am the warden you are the prisoner, fighting it is pointless._

**I would rather die free than be caged**

_As you wish Kyuubi-san, let us begin._

**No I will fight you for every scrap of MY power!**

The Kyuubi's cries echoed throughout the sewer as Naruto forcibly took the bijuu's chakra and purified it into holy chakra. Hours later Naruto lay on his bed exhausted. Every night he purified a bit more of the Kyuubi's chakra into still powerful but non-damaging holy chakra. Every night the Kyuubi fought tooth and nail for each scrap. _'It will be easier once I get past the fifth tail but that won't be till much later. It's taken me 2 years just to get past the first tail. Ahh It's too late to worry about this sort of thing' _Naruto though as he drifted off to sleep

**The next morning**

"Naruto-san are you here?" a feminine voice calls out. Naruto for his part fell out of the bed he had been sleeping in. Looking around for a few moments confused he soon remembered the events of the previous day _'Ohh right I'm in a Konoha for the next year or so, guess that's Kurenai-san outside' _the blue-eyed boy's thoughts were interrupted by another voice

"He's not here Kurenai-sensei we may as well go"

"I'm here just give me a moment!" Naruto yelled as he put on his robes. After a few seconds the boy opened the door two a women and a girl about his own age.

"Hello, I'm Naruto Uzumaki" the blue eyed boy said brightly

"I'm Kurenai Yuuhi and this is my protégé Hinata Hyuuga" the red-eyed jonin said wearing an odd looking white and red outfit with brown hair. Naruto turned his attention to the girl she was about his height with pale eyes and dark blue hair she wore robes similar to his own.

"Why are you dressed like that?" the girl asked the shaved boy.

"I've spent the last few years as a monk, Hinata-san" the whiskered boy said.

"Hinata-sama" the heiress automatically said.

"What?" the young jinchuruki was now confused.

"I am a Hyuuga the premier clan of the village you will refer to me as Hinata-sama or Hyuuga-sama" the pale-eyed girl answered figuring that the boy in front of her didn't know any better.

"Why?" Naruto asked still confused.

"Didn't they teach you anything in the monastery?" the heiress said tersely.

"Lots of things including that respect is earned not given" the jinchuruki said holding his hand to his chin imitating an old man telling something to someone.

"Are you saying that you don't respect me?" Hinata asked dangerously.

"No more than anyone else. We are all equals in that sense" our young hero didn't pick up on the implied threat.

"The Hyuuga's are the richest and most prestigious clan in Konoha they deserve respect" the dark haired girl shout in exasperation.

"And the clan has it, you are not the clan" the blue-eyed boy said as if it was the most natural thing in the clan.

"I am the heiress" Hinata said having unconsciously activated her byakugan.

"That's nice, but that still doesn't tell me why I should call you Sama" the jinchuruki said unafraid of the impending beating Hinata was planning to give.

"Can we go to the training grounds? I need to teach this boy some manners" the heiress asked her mentor/friend.

"No need to be so angry Hinata-san" the shaved boy said holding his hand trying to placate the girl.

"Well I did need to see where your tai-jutsu was so why not?" the black haired jonin said rhetorically

"This isn't going to end well." Naruto said with an air of depression.

While making their way to the training ground Kurenai discovered that boy felt that he was reasonably proficient in martial arts and chakra manipulation but admitted he had no idea how to do nin-jutsu or gen-jutsu. Kurenai also discovered that Naruto was going through this training more because the Sandaime had asked him to and he didn't have anything better to do.

"All right tai-jutsu only, Hinata no lethal or crippling blows, Naruto the same." The red eyed jonin called out. Hinata slid into a Jyuuken stance and activated her byakugan. Naruto slid into a different stance with one open palm out front and a loose fist near his chest

"Begin" the jonin called. The two stood still for a moment. Hinata made the first move using her Jyuuken to shut down her opponent's tenketsu points. Or at least she tried to. Naruto's hands glowed with chakra similar to hers and he blocked each of her attacks. _'Father always said that the Jyuuken was supreme yet it isn't working every time I go to shut off his tenketsu this boy just blocks and keeps going. I know I'm hitting them. So why isn't he effected?'_ Hinata's thoughts were blanked out as the boy said

"Guess it's time to finish this" and proceeded to slip past her guard and land several hammer blows on her. Hinata collapsed a look of shock evident on her face.

"Very good Naruto, you've just beaten the girl with the best tai-jutsu in your year" the genjutsu mistress said honestly impressed, not many could go toe to toe with a Jyuuken user and win.

"I don't recognize the style though, something you picked up at the monastery?" Kurenai asked curious she wasn't a tai-jutsu master but like all jonin she knew the basics of all the styles in Konoha.

"Yes it was it's an old style but it works if you know what you're doing" The blue eyed boy said with a smirk.

"What is it?" the red-eyed woman found her charge to be a bit odd, he'd answered the question without telling her what she wanted to know.

"It's known either as the Heavenly Palm or Steel Body depending on which variant you take. Heavenly palm allows you to manipulate yours and other's people's chakra with a touch but it requires immense control, and a bit of chakra. I followed the other variant I have a constant level of chakra running through my skin when I concentrate I can make it harder then steel combine this and the knowledge of pressure points you have a decent style, that requires an immense amount of chakra" the whiskered boy said with a smile. _'Why the hell is he so chipper all the time?' _Kurenai wondered.

"Hinata you okay?" the jonin asked,

"Can't move my legs" the heiress got out in between trying to incinerate the boy in front of her and forcing herself to stay kneeling instead of lying down.

"Ohh sorry about that should wear off in a couple of minutes" the blue eyed boy said rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I am going to kill you as soon as I can move" the pale eyed girl growled

"Kurenai-sensei, you wouldn't let her actually kill me right?" the robed boy said doing his best imitation of the dreaded puppy-eyes jutsu.

"No, Hinata you made an assumption and it cost you. Instead of blaming Naruto why not try to learn from it?" Kurenai said shaking her head. Hinata had become hard and cold due to her families influence and lack of friends/people she could like. It appeared that Naruto had a gift for getting under peoples skins.

"But..." the heiress said.

"No buts Hinata. Anyways after you can move you can go home I think that Naruto's tai-jutsu is adequate. So I'll focus on nin-jutsu and gen-jutsu today" the genjutsu mistress said shaking her head.

"Yay! Hinata-chan isn't going to kill me" the jinchuruki shouted happily.

"There's always tomorrow, and it Hinata-sama you peasant" the pale eyed girl said a tick forming on her head.

"What's a peasant?" Naruto said in mock confusion.

"Naruto stop annoying my apprentice" the red eyed jonin said with irritation.

"But it's fun" the whiskered boy said cheekily.

"I'll show you fun" Hinata said her arm twitching.

"Isn't that going a little fast Hinata-chan?" The blue eyed boy said doing his best imitation of a blushing maiden.

"Why you..." the heiress sputtered.

"That's enough both of you" the black haired woman said massaging her temples with one hand.

"Yes Kurenai-sensei" Both of her students said in the tone all kids use when they're in trouble and they know it.

After 15 minutes Hinata regained the use of her legs and proceeded to attack Naruto who disabled her again. Kurenai shrugged and began teaching Naruto the basics of nin-jutsu and gen-jutsu. While the Hyuuga heiress plotted to take down the smiling boy.

**Konoha Academy (4 weeks later)**

"Alright class we're having a new student this year his name is Uzumaki Naruto" Iruka introduced a smiling boy with short blond hair and simple gray gi and black pants

"Hi everyone, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I recently moved here and was convinced to try being a ninja. I hope we can all be friends"

"Iruka-sensei this guy is new he doesn't know anything about how to be a ninja. I bet he can't even use chakra, so why is he here?" Kiba yelled out

"Kiba, Naruto spent many years as a monk so he does know how to use chakra and I tested him myself he knows enough to join the class" the scarred teacher said in irritation

"Naruto go take a seat" the teacher motioned towards an empty spot by Hinata and Shino

"Hi Hinata-chan!" the blond boy called out as he sat down.

"Naruto....for the last time don't call me Hinata-chan!" the heiress said already feeling a now familiar wave of irritation.

"B-but I thought we had something special Hinata-chan" the whiskered boy with large watery eyes and a pout.

"Dammit Naruto, knock it off or I'll pay Ayame to keep ramen from you for a week!" Hinata said in an icy tone.

"No, not that, anything but that" the blond boy said terrified of the concept of no more ramen.

"Then stop annoying me" the blue haired girl said. The rest of the class was in shock this new guy apparently already knew Hinata and had the ability to get past the legendary Hyuuga stoicism.

The class reaction was mixed to say the least Ino and Sakura decided that though Naruto was cute he wasn't Sasuke thus not worth their time. Sasuke for his part wondered how strong this newcomer was, not strong enough to defeat him. He was an Uchiha of course but maybe strong enough to give him a challenge? Kiba just didn't like Naruto he had been trying to get Hinata to notice him for years and this new guy does within a day of showing up. Shino merely started analyzing the newcomer and came to the conclusion that this boy was far stronger then he let on. Shikimaru and Chouji both adopted a wait and see attitude. Iruka shook his head, Kurenai had told him that Naruto had a gift for getting under people's skin and had taken the hobby of annoying stoics/snobs wherever he saw them.

"All right class take out your books and turn to chapter 22..." Iruka began his lecture

2 hours later Iruka looked up to see most of his class paying attention, Shikimaru as always was the exception along with Naruto who had closed his eyes and appeared to be sleeping. Iruka causally flicked a piece of chalk at Naruto only to have it dodged by a slight move of his body.

"Naruto have you been paying attention?" asked the exasperated chuunin

"Hai Iruka-sensei I am. You were discussing the economic and political ramifications of the Second Great Shinobi War correct?" the blond boy said still not opening his eyes

"Yes and what were those implications exactly Naruto?" Iruka asked trying to trap the boy and make him realize the necessity of paying attention

"From a political point of view the war marked the end of the samurai era and the establishment of the youngest hidden village Suna. This indirectly led to the outbreak of the third shinobi war 15 years later. Economically the end of the samurai and gradual weakening of the feudal system led to the validation of the hidden village concept as well as the creation of social mobility. "The young jinchuruki said perfectly and then frowned and spoke again.

"I'm missing something else... oh right it also marked the end of free trade amongst the elemental countries as there was no one left that everyone could trust" The blond said happily

"That is correct Naruto, my apologies I assumed you were sleeping" Iruka was willing to admit when he misjudged people.

"No I was meditating. I often do so when I need to listen but don't wish to, but I gather that it's not common here" Naruto waived off Iruka's apologies.

"Very well I'll continue then" the scarred teacher said and proceeded to do just that.

The remainder of the morning was spent on lectures, when the class broke for lunch everyone sat beside their friends except Naruto who sat beside Hinata.

"Naruto, you know I don't like you" the heiress spoke calmly

"But I don't know anyone else Hinata-san" the blond gave a pout. Hinata could only give a small sigh, Naruto had said outright that he would never call her sama but for her clan's image she had to keep trying.

"Well go meet them say hello" the pale eyed girl retorted. Neither really caring that Sasuke had arrived behind them

"Fight me" the last Uchiha said without preamble

"Why?" the whiskered boy said his voice confused

"To see how strong you are" the black haired boy said as if speaking to a child

"That's a stupid reason" Naruto said with a shake of his head

"You will fight me" the onyx eyed boy said starting to get a little annoyed

"Naruto just kick his ass and then go make some friends" Hinata said, yes Naruto annoyed her. But she'll admit that he has some of the best tai-jutsu she's ever seen. Besides she had never liked Sasuke anyway see him get his ass kicked would be funny

"Alright Hinata-san if you say so" the blond said shaking his head as if saying 'this isn't going to end well for him is it?'

"For the thousandth time it's sama you idiot" the heiress said going through the motions of their verbal game.

"Very well, whoever you are we will fight tai-jutsu only okay with you?" the blue eyed boy said with a look of complete serenity

"It matters not" the last Uchiha said arrogantly

"You ready?" Hinata asked both boys acting as referee. They both nodded

"Begin!" the heiress said loudly. Sasuke start things off with a round house kick to Naruto's head. Naruto dodged easily and gave a disappointed look. Giving a mental shrug Naruto launched a devastating barrage of palm strikes that broke through the Uchiha's guard. And suddenly stopped

"Oh for crying out loud I was told you were good, this is just sad, Hinata-san can hold me off for at least 5 minutes usually" the blond said shaking his head

"Finish it you bastard" Sasuke growled out

"I already have" the jinchuruki said casually, and began walking away. Sasuke was wondering what the blond meant when he suddenly collapsed

"For the record Uchiha, Naruto has never lost a tai-jutsu match to me or my family ever" Hinata said smirking. It felt good to see someone else being taken down as an afterthought for once and began walking with Naruto. _'Hinata's tai-jutsu is superior then my own due to the byakugan without it she is weak, but from what she says she uses it and still can't defeat him. Still I have nin-jutsu over him so I'm still the best besides he cheated somehow'_ Sasuke's thought continued in this vein while the rest of the class sat there in shock. Sasuke Uchiha best in the class had been taken down like he was a mere civilian. Most of the boys made a note to never piss Naruto off while some of the girls seemed to be reconsidering their crush on the last Uchiha.

"So up for sparring later?" the heiress despite her annoyance with Naruto enjoyed sparing with him.

"Sure you're getting better, right now your biggest problem is predictability" the blond said with a small smile.

"Thanks ever so much" the pale eyed girls voice was laced with sarcasm.

"Hey at least your better then that other guy, what was his name anyway?" the jinchuruki asked.

"That 'guy' was the last Uchiha of the Uchiha clan and as such has had the world handed to him on a silver platter." The blue haired girl said.

"And you don't" Naruto quirked an eyebrow.

"You have no idea how hard it was for me to get my position back" the pale eyed girl retorted angrily.

"Sorry, forgot about that, given just how well you act like a perfect heiress it's hard to see you not being one" the blond said rubbing his neck like he always did when embarrassed or feeling bad.

"I don't like you so why am I talking to you?" the heiress asked.

"Because I'm the only one here who treats you like a person rather some untouchable thing?" the whiskered boy said with a smile.

"You've got a point there" the blue haired girl said. Truth was in the past few weeks of getting to know him she started to like Naruto and his ways. Naruto was honest with her and very few people were so she treasured that. Not that she would ever tell anyone that of course.

"So besides Sasuke anyone I should watch out for?" the jinchuruki asked half jokingly.

"Kiba Inuzuka considers himself the Alpha of the class so he might try something, other than him just watch out for the fan girls after you beat down Sasuke they tend to not take it well" Hinata said after a moment's thought.

"Looks like class is starting again" the blond boy said after absorbing the information. Hinata nodded and the class made its way back to the classroom.

After they had all taken their seats the students all looked at Iruka expectantly.

"Alright since we did the theoretical this morning this afternoon we shall do tai-jutsu and weapons training this afternoon." The scarred teacher said calmly looking around the room only to notice that one of his students was missing.

"Where's Sasuke?" the chuunin asked.

"He picked a fight with that Uzumaki kid and got his ass kicked. He was just laying there when the bell rang" a random boy shouted out.

"Naruto!" Iruka snapped.

"Iruka-sensei he asked me to fight I did, and after it became apparent that he had no idea what he was doing I disabled him...should have been fine after a few minutes though" the blond said apologetically.

"What do you mean?" the teacher asked curious.

"Well the nerve strike should only have kept him down for a couple of minutes 5 at most so I don't know why he's not here" the former monk said his brow furrowed in concentration trying to think if he hit the wrong point it happened occasionally. Shaking his head Naruto realized that no he had been on target, Sasuke was still out there of his own free will.

"All right you people make your way to the training grounds. I'll go get Sasuke" the scarred chuunin said with a sigh. _'No you couldn't be a normal student could you Naruto, you just had to be a brilliant tai-jutsu fighter. And now the Sasuke's going to be a whiny twit for the next few days' _Iruka cared for all of his students and admitted that the Uchiha was skilled but he didn't like the brooding boy's attitude. The few times Iruka had attempted to get him to open up using his own loss as a bridging point. Sasuke had said that he didn't care and that Iruka's only purpose was to make him stronger. Iruka thought of himself as easygoing but the brutal dismissal had soured him on the last Uchiha. Finding Sasuke where Naruto had dropped him.

"Sasuke, Naruto didn't hit you that hard, what are you still doing here?" the chuunin asked his student

"Sensei who trained Naruto?" the last Uchiha didn't bother answering

"Not sure but I believe that he spent several years as a monk and learned there" Iruka shook his head. Sasuke could never allow anyone to be stronger them him even Hinata his rival for rookie of the year was considered inferior in the Uchiha's eyes. Mostly because of Sasuke's use and mastery a fire-jutsu that Hinata couldn't counter yet.

"Why does Konoha not have such a style?" the black haired boy asked interested in this new style.

"In general the monks are fairly secretive about such things and they rarely leave their monasteries." The scarred man answered.

"Then I will have him teach me this style" the last Uchiha said as if the idea that Naruto wouldn't teach him had never occurred. Iruka raised an eyebrow maybe it hadn't.

"I doubt that he will. By and large a monk will only teach if he believes you worthy both personally and by his order's standards. You will most likely fail on both points" the teacher said calmly.

"I must become stronger the council will support me" Nope the idea that Naruto wouldn't teach him had not crossed Sasuke's mind.

"Not unless they want to get into a pissing contest with the Fire Daimyo" Iruka said with a chuckle.

"What do you mean?" the onyx eyed boy confused.

"Those rare occasions when monks leave their monasteries are either pilgrimages or to train the resident Lord's family in self defence as a form of payment for allowing the monasteries to exist. The Daimyo's in return guard the style very religiously. The council won't fight the Daimyo just to make you stronger. Come on we have weapons training" the scarred man said patiently.

"Sensei, how do I defeat that style?" the last Uchiha asked standing up.

"No idea no ninja has ever been able to defeat a monk when it comes to pure tai-jutsu. According to rumour monks use chakra differently than we do and head monks can fight toe to toe with s-class ninja for brief periods of time." The teacher said still sounding patient but had honestly gotten sick of this conversation.

"And they rarely teach shinobi save in exceptional circumstances" the chuunin said forestalling the next question. Sasuke processed this for a moment and then shrugged.

"Once I have the Sharigan I will take his style and use it for my own" the black haired boy said confidently.

"You know that that doesn't work on monk's right?" Iruka asked incredulous, you didn't steal techniques from comrades and besides there was a reason that a monk's style had never been copied.

"What?" the onyx boy said surprised

"The monks learned how to counter the Sharingan years ago Sasuke, Naruto most likely knows how to as well" the teacher explained trying to keep his hard won patience from snapping.

"That's impossible nothing can defeat the Sharingan" the Uchiha didn't believe that anything could defeat the Sharingan except maybe another Sharingan.

"Whatever keeps you happy Sasuke" Iruka didn't feel like arguing. The two made their way to training field.

At the training field the class had begun milling about waiting for their sensei. Naruto for his part had sat down and started meditating.

"What's he doing Hinata-sama?" Ino although still liking Sasuke better had found the new guy interesting and Hinata seemed to know him best.

"Whenever Naruto gets bored he either annoys someone or meditates" the pale eyed girl said with a sigh.

"Wouldn't he annoy people now?" the young mind walker was confused. Logically you would bug people when they are around right?

"I know him but I can't say I understand him Ino-san" the Hyuuga Heiress said calmly.

"Still can't believe how he treated Sasuke-kun" the blond girl decided to move on to another topic.

"Naruto's views are different by and large he has no time for people like Sasuke" Hinata said without preamble.

"But Sasuke-kun is the best in the class and so cool"

"That's your belief it isn't Naruto's or mine. You have to earn Naruto's respect if you're senior to him in position he'll respect the position but not you. Simply put until Sasuke proves himself Naruto won't care about him one way or another" the heiress felt like rubbing her temples. This is why she hated fan girls, they never allowed other viewpoints, that and they were annoying.

"That's not fair Sasuke had a hard life" the purple clad girl said with a whine.

"And others haven't?" the former monk said levelly.

"You were paying attention the entire time?" Ino was surprised the guy had seemed totally spaced out.

"I was now answer the question" the jinchuruki said.

"Yeah but Sasuke-kun lost his entire family" the young mind walker was determined to defend her crush.

"A tragedy but not the worst thing to happen to someone" the blue eyed boy said his tone having switched from its normal hyperactive self to one of boundless wisdom.

"I suppose you know something worse?" Ino said dryly.

"Well your father could decide to seal a demon inside you and in the process kill himself. And then leave you alone in a village that hates you. I think that counts" the sitting boy said his eyes still closed.

"Did that happen to you?" the young Yamanaka felt like a heel now.

"That was merely an example Ino-san, and there are worse things than that" the jinchuruki smiled to calm her down.

"Like what?" the blond girl got the feeling she didn't want to know

"Use your imagination Ino" Hinata said wanting to steer the subject away from personal tragedy.

"My point is that while Sasuke has had to deal with tragedy all of us do in some way or another and nothing I've seen makes me think that he's dealing with it all." The former monk said.

Ino was about to speak when Iruka and Sasuke arrived.

"All right class today we will be working on throwing weapons and melee weapons" the scarred chuunin said. The class lined up in alphabetical order and began their practice. Most of the class did alright with Sasuke and Hinata scoring perfect scores. Naruto however didn't missing every target.

"Sorry Iruka-sensei I haven't used kunai or shuriken before, I'll come by for extra practice tomorrow morning" the jinchuruki said.

"Alright I'll let it slide for today but I expect improvement next week' the teacher was sympathetic. One couldn't learn everything the academy taught in a few weeks and given Naruto's tai-jutsu it made sense that his throwing skills had been neglected. The remainder of class did well enough. Now for the hard part Iruka thought, the Hokage had said 'Every academy should be reasonably proficient in one melee weapon'. So Iruka had to teach them how to fight with one. Fortunately most students chose kunai or swords although a few chose more exotic weapons. Naruto and Hinata being some of them, Naruto had taken a staff and Hinata used tonfas.

"So Hinata-san let's try this with weapons" the blond boy said smiling

"Naruto who you fight is up to me and the girls and boys fight separate" Iruka said interrupting Naruto

"That's stupid" the whiskered boy said. Iruka agreed but his hands were tied with orders from the headmaster.

"I don't make the rules, I just enforce them" the teacher wondered what he had done to get a student like Naruto.

"Whatever" the blond said no longer caring. Iruka gave a sigh, this wasn't going to be pretty Sasuke would want to fight him and might just ignore his own fight to do it. _'Screw it, Sasuke wants to fight Naruto let him'_ Iruka thought and began making the match ups. As usual Hinata defeated whoever was thrown at her. Sakura and Ino both tied. However all of the matches weren't really what everyone else was waiting for.

"Sasuke Uchiha vs. Naruto Uzumaki" Iruka called.

Naruto had a blank look and settled into the Ling Shen Su starting stance. Sasuke took his stance, with a ninja-to held in a forward guard position

"Alright come at me with everything you have. It won't help but it should be entertaining" Sasuke said, yeah the dobe could beat him in tai-jutsu but he was a prodigy with his sword and didn't lose.

"All right" the former monk said and waited for the match to begin.

"Hajime" the teacher called. Naruto seemed to close his eyes for a moment and then moved. There was no way to describe it one moment he was about two meters away from the Uchiha the next moment Sasuke had been smashed by a staff to the gut. The last Uchiha doubled over only to have his jaw broken as Naruto pivoted the staff upward at full force. Sasuke collapsed it had been less than a minute and Sasuke Uchiha contender for rookie of the year was out cold.

"You said with everything I have" the jinchuruki said not even looking as if he had broken a sweat

"Shousha Naruto Uzumaki" Iruka said his jaw had nearly dropped when he saw Naruto's true skill...no wonder the Hokage wanted this kid as a shinobi give him some jutsus and a little training and this kid could be great. The teacher's jaw hadn't dropped that wasn't to say no one else's did though. Hinata suppressed a smirk, Sasuke the last Uchiha had had his ass handed to him and no one could blame Naruto. Truthfully it was better that Sasuke got his arrogance beaten out of him now before he could endanger people on missions from it. Iruka walked over and checked on the avenger, broken jaw, cracked ribs...Naruto had gone all out. Iruka picked up the boy and brought him to the nurse's office

"Naruto did you have to hurt him that much?" Ino demanded.

"He asked me to come at him, I did not my fault he underestimated me. Besides it could have been worse" the young jinchuruki said calmly.

"How?" the mind walker didn't believe the new guy.

"I didn't finish the combo there's one more hit to the temple if that final blow hits it usually means death or permanent brain damage" the blue eyed boy said with sincerity.

"NARUTO YOU BAKA!" screamed Sakura who had recovered from the shock of Sasuke's defeat.

"What? I did what he asked! Who are you anyway?" the whiskered boy had discovered the wonders of fan girls.

"Sakura Haruno and how did you cheat?" the pink haired girl said getting control of her temper.

"Why would I cheat? Sasuke just wasn't that good" the former monk didn't understand the question.

"No one can be Sasuke in melee combat" the green eyed girl said confidently with a smirk.

"Are you serious?" Naruto's eyes bugged out.

"What do you mean?" the red clad girl didn't understand Naruto's reaction.

"Oh Kami she is serious" the blond boy said as he began rolling on the ground laughing.

"Why is he laughing?" Sakura asked prepared to beat the boy.

"Because Haruno, Naruto considers himself only an adept when it comes to bo-jutsu. That and Naruto personally has lost most of his matches against his fellow monks, so use that forehead of years" The Hyuuga heiress had no real use for Sakura and disliked the whole fan girl thing. The pink haired girl worked her way through the implications of that statement....Sasuke wasn't the best at something she had always thought he was the best at everything. So if she Sakura Haruno was wrong about that then what else was she wrong about? No Naruto must have cheated it wasn't possible for Sasuke to lose to anyone in her age group. Now how had the whiskered annoyance done it? As Sakura attempted to figure out how Naruto won. The former monk got a hold of his laughter and stood up.

"Anyways, Ino your right I probably shouldn't have hit him that hard but I was willing to assume he was equal to me in skill. Guess I was wrong" the blond boy said with a nod.

"Umm what skill rank are you anyway?" the mind walker asked.

"By your standards I believe chuunin when it comes to tai-jutsu and bo-jutsu although officially I am an adept" the blond boy said his face still smiling.

"What are the ranks for monks anyway?" The pink haired girl asked apparently done analyzing the boy

"Novice, Apprentice, Adept, Brother, and Master are the ranks although one can have high skills and still be considered a Brother. The title Master is only granted to the head of our monastery. In times past Grand Master was given to the head of the order but there hasn't been one since the Three Saints War" the blue eyed boy said.

"Three Saints War?" the Hyuuga heiress had never heard of such a war and asked the question on everyone's mind.

"It was the first and last time that my order and the Order of the Heavenly Lotus and the Order of the Holy Stone went to war. Even the records on Mt. Shaoshi do not record what exactly happened save that many lives were lost and it marked the end of the old Empire" the jinchuruki said solemnly bowing his head and giving a quick prayer.

"How come we've never heard about this Three Saints War?" Sakura didn't believe the boy a war as massive as that surely some knowledge would survive.

"I would assume because it isn't remotely relevant to shinobi. Even my order only keeps the knowledge to remind us of the lives lost not because it matters. It was before the time of the Six Paths Sage" the blond was unsurprised at the girl's resistance. Any military force tends to believe it is the best thing in existence. Even if that wasn't always true.

"There would be some records..." the pink haired girl argued.

"Have you seen a true master fight?" the blond boy asked.

"No... What does that have to do with anything?" the green eyed girl's face scrunched in annoyance.

"Even now a true master possesses enough skill to change the very earth itself, and they were much stronger then and more numerous then." The whiskered boy spoke in a slightly agitated tone.

"Your bluffing you make it sound as if thee 'true masters' are stronger then ninja's" the blond girl interjected.

"They are, when it comes to direct conflict which most of them prefer to avoid." Naruto said lamenting internally at the ignorance some people had.

"That's a lie." The pink haired girl shouted.

"Sakura-san you speak of things you know nothing about. I have seen the Master of my Order do things that by the rules of the Shinobi he shouldn't be able to do" the blond jinchuruki was tired of this conversation. Yes monks were powerful and given a straight fight they could beat most ninjas, but ninjas never played fair and that levelled the playing field. That's why he had said 'direct' confrontation. Any ninja with half a mind wouldn't go for the direct fight against a monk.

"What is your Order?" the Hyuuga heiress remembered her tutors saying that of all the shinobi tai-jutsu styles the Jyuuken were the strongest but that there were other styles of equal strength. So she reasoned that monks could equal most ninja. She had forgotten that lesson until she met Naruto.

"I am a member of the Order of the Divine Path. Although if I become a shinobi I will lose my status" the whiskered boy said calmly.

"Why?" Ino still didn't really like the new guy but he was interesting a puzzle really. One moment he acted like the rest of the class the next he was a sage who had seen far too much. If it wasn't for the prohibition against mind walking a fellow comrade, she probably would have done it.

"A wise man said that you cannot serve two masters. Within my order becoming a member of a military force is the same as resignation. So if I become a ninja I will no longer be a monk although should I ever stop being a ninja I can return as a novice" the young jinchuruki said patiently.

"All right class back inside" Iruka called having returned from the nurse's office. The class obediently made their way back to the class room. The rest of the day was spent on chakra theory.

"This is going to be an interesting year eh Hinata-chan?" the blond jinchuruki asked as they left the school grounds

"Sama you idiot and it does look like that" Hinata retorted without much force. It was how the game was played.

"Still, I think I'll like being a ninja if you and Kurenai-sensei are any indication of what a good ninja is like" Naruto said with a grin. The Hyuuga looked down hiding a blush, Naruto often complimented her without meaning to and she looked up to Kurenai as a role model.

"Whatever what do you think of the others?" the heiress said brushing off the unintentional compliment

"I don't know...Sasuke worries me though his aura it's so dark. Tragedy darkens one's soul but this feels different like he's consumed with hate. He's no older than me how can one have so much hate?" the blond said serious

"Aura what do you mean?" The pale eyed girl asked having given up being surprised when Naruto said things like this out of the blue.

"Ones chakra gives off a 'feel' is the best way to describe it depending on your predominant emotions your chakra 'feels' a different colour. Yours for example is gray showing your trying to hide something, Kurenai-sensei's is blue showing peace and contentment. Sasuke's is black showing deep bitterness and hatred in amounts I've never seen in someone our age" the blond said frowning.

"I don't know anything about that you can mention it to Iruka-sensei or Kurenai-sensei. Can you teach me how to read auras?" Hinata said Naruto had taught her a few tricks and it had shown in her clan spars. Earning coveted praise from her father.

"Yeah should be easy because of that byakugan of yours" the whiskered boy was happy for the change of subject. The heiress gave a faint smile as they made their way to train with Kurenai-sensei.

A/N: Finished this is now my longest chapter ever. Alright I'll admit Kung Fu Naruto has done (Most skilfully by smithjohn 2020 with Swordsmen of the 9 lonesome stances, go check it out) but this got into my head and wouldn't leave. Most of the characters will be OOC because Naruto wasn't there most notably Hinata, and a few others. Okay I am officially abandoning and deleting The Professor of Konoha. looking back I find myself cringing at the first and second chapters (You want Sarutobi actually being useful check out Will of Fire, Heart of Stone by disobediencewriter) Admittedly I haven't improved that much but I don't see me finishing that story I just can't write political stories which is how I had imagined the story. So I'm now going to alternate between this and Once More With Feeling This Time every week or so I'll put one chapter or another out.


	2. Chapter 2

A Monk's Tale

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

**Kyuubi**

**Scene Change**

Chapter 2

**Ninja Academy (Day of the Genin exams)**

"Naruto Uzumaki I will defeat you!" Sasuke shouted

"Every day we go through this, and every day I win. What makes today any different?" said Uzumaki asked. Rather than answer the last Uchiha threw a haymaker toward Naruto's head. The blond twisted the side avoiding the blow. With a sigh Naruto launched a series of nerve strikes, paralyzing the raven haired prodigy.

"Once again Sasuke you forget what we've been taught" the blue eyed boy hadn't changed much over the previous year, save for a black gi an orange cloth belt in place of his gray ones.

"Why does he keep trying?" Ino asked Hinata. The two had become friends. Bonding as Ino had attempted to improve as a kuinoichi after Naruto's causal dismissal of the Uchiha. _'Honestly I'm glad Naruto did that, I spent so much waste time trying to impress Sasuke because he seemed so cool and hot. Only to find out that he was just different' _The young mind walker thought with a smirk.

"Naruto just has that effect on people." The heiress answered with a small smile.

"Well that was pointless." The black clothed boy said.

"So ready for the exam today?" the blue haired girl asked

"Sure thing Hinata-chan" the blond boy said happily

"Sama, Hinata-sama you idiot" the heiress said, she would get him to call her sama one day.

"But Hina-chan" the jinchuruki whined

"Don't call me that" the pale eyed girl said angrily she hated that nickname

"You two" Ino said shaking her head "Sometimes I think you have a thing for each other"

"What? No I just like bugging Hinata-chan. She's like a sister" the whiskered boy said his eyes wide as dinner plates.

"I could never like an idiot like Naruto" the heiress denied the implication as quickly as Naruto had.

"You keep telling yourself that." The blond girl said with a smirk.

The trio walked into the academy. Naruto gave the place one last look, truth be told he had originally planned to leave as soon as Jiraiya arrived. Except that old hermit was nowhere to be found. So now he Naruto Uzumaki had a choice, either fully accept being a ninja and forget all about being a monk or ignore his responsibilities as the jinchuruki of the Kyuubi and return back Mt. Shaoshi. _'Sometimes I really hate that Master Wu beat responsibility into my head so much. No choice at all really'_ Naruto thought with a sigh, he had just been killing time and now his heart had started demanding that he stay. Stupid things emotions, but they had power. They had power enough to change anyone given time. _'And I like an idiot allowed my guard to drop. So I have even more reason to defend the village'_ Naruto's thoughts were masked well to those around him with the exception of Ino.

'_He's got that far away look again as if he has to do something he doesn't want to...but what would that be?' _the young mind walker found her fellow blond extremely irritating at times like these. So open yet so closed. Even she only picked up on the subtle cues because of the training from her father. Having made their way into the class room the two girls sat down. Naruto ducked. Two blunted kunai came from the doorway missing the former monk completely.

"Almost had you boss!" a goggles wearing 8 year old said pouting.

"Kono if you're going to sneak attack people you have to learn to not flare chakra all the time" the blond said frowning.

"Ebisu never senses it!" the brown haired boy retorted angrily.

"Ebisu doesn't know the meaning of chakra sensing. If you can get to the point where you can sneak up on me then you'll be good at stealth" the blue eyed boy said good-naturedly.

"I will get you one day boss!" Konohamaru shouted.

"Better run Kono, Ebisu's coming." The jinchuruki said with a chuckle.

"Thanks Boss" the scarf wearing boy said smiling as he disappeared

"Why do you encourage him?" Hinata asked disapprovingly

"Someone's got to keep Iruka on his toes after I get out of here" the whiskered boy said with a grin.

"Has anyone seen the honourable grandson?" Ebisu asked bounding into the room.

The class pointed down the hallway Konohamaru had run down.

"Alright now that we have our daily interruptions done time for the genin exam!" Iruka said shaking his head at Ebisu. The genin exam always consisted of three parts: a written test a tai-jutsu and weapons portion and the nin-jutsu portion. The written exam was passed out, Naruto groaned he could do bookwork but it was like dragging a kunai across his skin. Still perseverance saw him through.

Two hours after the test Iruka called "Time"

There were a few groans as the teacher gathered up the tests from the students. Iruka handed them off to a pair of chuunins who would mark and grade the tests objectively. In theory at least but not in practice generally those of 'important' background were graded easier and better than those without famous names. That wasn't to say that they graded no names harder but they gave less lee way.

"Hmm Uzumaki, that name sounds familiar any idea why Sesshu?" One of the chuunin asked looking at the paper

"Hell if I know. Seems he knows his stuff alright. Not as well as some but better the most" The chuunin said glancing over at the paper.

"Yeah but I can't help but feel that I've heard that name before." The frowning chuunin said. Both shrugged and went back to work

Outside at the target range, Naruto had just barely passed the throwing weapon portion of the exam.

"Dam, Naruto you can take down any chuunin with ease but you can't throw a Kunai straight" Ino said with a giggle

"Hey, I'm trying!" the young jinchuruki retorted hotly

"Naruto, you've passed this portion now you have to last five minutes against me or hit me using either a melee weapon or tai-jutsu" Iruka said with a smile. No matter how hard the young blond tried he just couldn't get the hang of throwing kunai, he could do it after a fashion but not very well and not during a fight.

"Alright I choose melee weapon combat" the blond said smirking. Iruka produced his favoured fuma shuriken as the blond whipped out a collapsible metal staff. The two went into the training circle that served as the arena for spars in the academy.

"Ready sensei?" the whiskered boy asked using chakra to reinforce his staff.

"Always Naruto....Now try to hit me" the scarred academy teacher said with a chuckle.

Naruto using his staff as a spear began a series of light jabs to test the defences. Iruka blocked easily _'Alright Naruto what are you up to? This is too obvious to be your main attack'_ the scarred teacher respected his student's skill and took him seriously.

"Alright sensei...here it comes"the blond called sliding into a back stance. Iruka raised an eyebrow. That was a new stance a new stance meant new attacks which meant... Iruka mentally swore as Naruto sent a barrage of strikes at him. Catching the middle part of the shuriken with his staff Naruto flipped it around disarming Iruka. The young jinchuruki then used the force of his earlier pivot to hit the chuunin

"Very good Naruto" the teacher said. The blond smiled and bowed as he left the circle.

Iruka grabbed his shuriken and motioned for the next student to come into the circle.

"So new move Naruto?" Chouji asked munching on chips as always.

"No, I just made a variant on an old one" the whiskered boy said

"Really how does the old one go?" Shino although still quiet was fairly vocal around Naruto for some reason.

"Well first you knock the legs apart, bring the staff upward and then flip the person over your head into the ground. I like Iruka-sensei too much to do that to him." The blond said with a smile

"So all that's left is the nin-jutsu portion right?" the mind walker asked.

"Yes, troublesome blond." A lazy answer came from a half asleep Shikimaru.

"I am not troublesome you lazy bum!" Ino shouted and was about to beat the pineapple haired genin when.

"Duck" Hinata called, as Iruka flung one unfortunate boy out of the ring towards the group. They all did except for Shikimaru who was on the ground sleeping.

"That was kind of sad..." the blond girl said looking at the boy.

"Well Iruka doesn't go easy on us" the Hyuuga heiress replied with a shrug

"So what teams do you think we'll be on Shino?" Naruto asked changing the topic

"Most likely specialist teams, traditionally there is one tracker/reconnaissance team, and investigation/infiltration team, a heavy combat/assassination team and one general purpose team." The bug using ninja answered.

"Hmm so you, Hinata-san and Kiba would be the tracker/reconnaissance team. Ino, Shikimaru and Chouji would be the infiltration team that leaves me with.... Oh kami why? Why?" Naruto began shouting.

"What's with him?" the rotund Akimichi asked

"Chouji think about it given that a general purpose team needs one hand to hand, one nin-jutsu and one gen-jutsu who do you think Naruto's going to end up with?" the Hyuuga heiress said feeling sorry for her friend.

"Sakura and Sasuke the two people Naruto doesn't get along with" Ino answered with a sigh.

"Why Kami haven't I suffered enough? Why?" the blond jinchuruki was on the ground rocking back and forth.

"Naruto it's not that bad." The pale eyed girl said shaking her head at the former monk's antics

"I know, just had to get that out of my system" the blue eyed boy said seriously. It felt good really to act out, hadn't done much of it back in the monastery.

"....weren't you a monk?" Chouji asked disbelievingly. The boy had grown confident and more self controlled with Naruto's example only to see his friend act like this.

"Hey you think about dealing with those two for the next four years and then tell me how to feel" The blond said without much force.

"He has a point there, Sasuke hates him and Sakura follows the Uchiha's example." The heiress pointed out.

"True but still, we're going to be ninja he should have a little self control" the purple clad girl said

"Ino-chan, don't worry about it, just nervous tension that's all" Naruto said with a fake smile. Truth was the Kyuubi had been a bitch about his chakra last night and Naruto hadn't had time to do his real meditation and so had less emotional control then he normally did.

"Uh-huh, I might believe that Whiskers if I hadn't seen you stare down my Father after that incident in the Hyuuga compound" the pale eyed girl said.

**Flashback (6 weeks ago)**

"Stay away from my daughters" Hiashi said with cold fury in his voice. The Hyuuga head had caught the boy in Hinata's room with the two girls teaching them the finer points of how to change styles at the drop of a hat. Hiashi knew who the boy was on sight. Having concluded that it was the boy's fault that Hinata had started to subtly change back to her old self of the 4 years previous decided to get rid of the boy. Except Naruto wasn't backing down and returned the clan heads gaze with a sort of amusement.

"I think they get to make their own decisions" the blond replied

"Your corrupting them you little demon" Hiashi said doing his best to set the boy on fire through willpower alone. The jinchuruki smirked as if he had heard a joke.

"You think that do you? Tell me have you seen the flaw in your Jyuuken yet?" Naruto said still amused

"The Jyuuken is unstoppable" Hiashi said automatically. True it was propaganda but no way could the blond idiot in front of him know that.

"The Jyuuken has a massive flaw in it one that I think you know" said blond was having trouble to keep from grinning.

"How?" the clan head said his tone low.

"Like every other bloodline clan in existence you forgot the purpose of a bloodline. Bloodlines are supposed to be your ace in the hole but none of you do that instead you rely on a gift. You are useless without the bloodline and getting around it isn't that hard" the blond said unflinching from the intensity of Hiashi's glare.

"Ohh and how do you get around the byakugan?" Hiashi asked

"Flash powder, chakra exhaustion, underground attacks, and speed all of these can be used either to get around the byakugan or blind it outright" the blond answered. Hinata and Hanabi looked at the boy no one stood up to their father ever, yet Naruto was.

"I see.....what would happen if I forbid you from seeing my daughters?" the clan head asked, he knew the answer already but wanted to hear it.

"I would ignore it and you would probably set them against you. When you don't have many friends you will fight for those you do have Hyuuga-san" the blond said intentionally not using sama

"Sama" Hiashi said reflexively

"It's no use father he doesn't call anyone sama" the Hyuuga heiress said.

"Why doesn't he?" Hiashi was used to people respecting him automatically

"That is something you must earn, I have no doubt that you are a skilled shinobi but you retired and so..." the blond boy said with a shrug. Hiashi cracked a small smirk this boy was different all right.

"Very well provided you do not make any untoward overtures to my daughters then you will be allowed to see them" the clan head said getting his emotional mask back in place.

"Alright then" the whiskered boy said smiling

**Flashback end**

"Oh yeah .....um I got nothing" Naruto said.

"So what's really bothering you?" his fellow blond asked

"I had a rough night?" the whiskered boy said rubbing his head sheepishly

"Right you who slept through Anko's explosive demonstrations" the blue haired girl deadpanned.

"It's not my fault I was tired that day" the blond boy whined.

"It woke people out of comas!" the purple clad girl snapped.

"That's just a rumour" Naruto said.

"Chouji Akimichi!" Iruka called for the final portion of the exams.

"See you guys" the large boy said putting away his chips.

"So who wants to draw on Shikimaru's face?" Naruto asked happy to get the girls off his case. He liked them but...honestly there fussing was beginning to get difficult. How much longer could his status as a jinchuruki remain a secret?

Ino looked at Naruto and decided for now to let him off the hook. Giving Hinata a glance the heiress shrugged as if to say that Naruto would tell them when he's ready. As Naruto doodled stars and stripes on Shikimaru's face the Shino returned as silently as he had left.

"How do you do that?" Ino shouted just noticing the bug user.

"I am a ninja" the shade wearing boy said.

"Probably from his bugs" Naruto chimed in.

"What?" Ino asked she didn't really like the bug boy but on the other hand he seemed alright except for his bugs.

"His bugs act as an early warning system allowing him to sense things that would give him away quickly combine that and his natural gift for silence well it's pretty easy to disappear if you know how" the other blond answered nodding sagely.

"You just made that up" Hinata said.

"Maybe...." the whiskered boy said half serious half joking

"Despite Uzumaki's wild conjectures, he is essence correct due to my insects I am more aware of my surrounding and being silent comes naturally to me" the bug user decided to take pity on his friend. Still wasn't used to that idea of having a friend. Due to his Kikai, Shino was mostly alone in the academy but Naruto had thought the bugs 'cool' and started to hang out with him during class. From there Hinata and Ino had started to talk to him and so had the rest of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

"Hinata Hyuuga" a chuunin called.

"Good luck Hinata-chan" the blond jinchuruki called as the heiress left.

"Don't call me that" said heiress said forcefully, from the exam room entrance

"Well it's no fun drawing on Shikimaru anymore so what now?" the former monk asked.

"I thought monks were supposed to be peaceful and calm so why are you a hyperactive, joker?" Ino asked trying once again to figure out the strange dichotomy that was Naruto Uzumaki.

"Well it was different in the monastery all we did was eat, meditate and train until our limbs felt like they were going to fall off. Here I'm not as exhausted and so act differently. That and Iruka-sensei has nothing on Master Wu when comes to getting people to settle down." The jinchuruki said with a small smile at the memory. Chouji had returned and over heard part of the conversation,

"What training did you undergo Naruto? you never talk about it" the Akimichi asked.

"Well it was sort of like your guys tai-jutsu training only about a thousand times more intense, doing it on the water platform was fun though." The blond answered.

"Water platform?" Ino asked having never heard of the concept.

"Yeah you do forms and spars on this, platform on the water, thing is that it's designed to move every time you do. Does wonders for balance" the whiskered boy said still smiling.

"Shikimaru Nara" Iruka called. Ino kicked the lazy boy who groaned got up and made his way to the exam room muttering about troublesome blonds

Hinata returned by now. The group fell silent lost in their thoughts. Well most of them Naruto was catching up on his meditation.

"Naruto Uzumaki" called a chuunin.

"Alright guys wish me luck" Naruto said as he made his way to the exam room.

"Alright Naruto this is the final test pass and you become a genin of Konoha" Iruka said calmly.

"Hai, what's the test?" the former monk asked.

"Use the three academy jutsus and one unique jutsu for extra credit" the teacher answered.

"All right" the blond said concentrating. Hardest technique first he decided and started to make a bushin. _'Still too much chakra, can't reduce it to just three....have to up the number, just a little less chakra!' _ Naruto was concentrating hard as he made a dozen bunshin.

"There, not the three required but I think its good enough." The blue eyed boy said sweating.

"That's more than enough but why can't you make three?' Iruka asked surprised. Usually students had trouble making three but this boy had made a dozen, with effort but still impressive

"To much chakra, it overloads the jutsu can't make less than a dozen." The whiskered boy answers, dismissing the bunshin.

"So then all that concentration was to reduce the number of bunshin not to make them." The scarred teacher says to himself.

"Henge!" Naruto calls transforming into a picture perfect image of Iruka. The teacher smiles and nods at the boy to perform the last technique. Again Naruto preformed it flawlessly.

"Guess the monks gave you some good chakra skills didn't they?" the teacher said smiling.

"Yeah but I still don't understand gen-jutsu at all and my nin-jutsu is just passable." The jinchuruki says with a half smile.

"Really? With your chakra and control I would have thought you would be good with both." The scarred chuunin says in surprise.

"Kurenai-sensei says that my mindset isn't right for gen-jutsu, and none of the techniques I have access to seem useful enough to go through the effort of compressing my chakra to make it usable." The blond replied unconcerned.

"Alright do you have a unique jutsu?" the scarred man asked.

"Not really I can harden my skin with chakra but that's not really a jutsu." The jinchuruki answered.

"Well Naruto all things considered you pass, here's your hitai-ate." The teacher said smiling it had been an interesting year with this class. The blond boy broke out into a grin as he left the room.

"So you made it, so the last one of us is Ino." Chouji said causally

"Troublesome blonds" a semi asleep Shikimaru muttered.

"Shikimaru's still angry for me drawing on him?" The blue eyed boy asked with a smile.

"I think so he just keeps say troublesome." The Hyuuga heiress answered. Truth was you never could tell what exactly Shikimaru was feeling it was too troublesome to show such things.

"What are you guys doing to celebrate?" Chouji asked wanting to keep the conversation going.

"Nothing much, probably a ramen feast." The jinchuruki answered.

"I have a clan ceremony", the pale eyed girl answered.

"So do I" the stoic genin chimed in.

"Troublesome...small get together with the other families, you know that Chouji" the pineapple haired boy said still half asleep.

"Hey guys I passed and almost tied Hinata for top Kuinoichi!" Ino said running over to them

"What?" the Hyuuga heiress asked angry so much work to be better than anyone else and she still almost failed.

"Now now Hinata-chan I'm sure you're still better" the whiskered boy chided

"Idiot, don't mock me" Hinata retorted.

"Never dream of it." The former monk said with sarcasm.

"Naruto that's half of what you and Hinata do mock each other...the other half being dancing around your feelings for each other" Ino said with a smirk

"FOR THE LAST TIME IT ISN'T LIKE THAT!" the two shouted.

"I got some things to do see you guys tomorrow." The jinchuruki said visibly getting a hold of his emotions. With a wave the blond boy ran towards the Ramen stand.

"Seriously Hinata why don't you just make a move on him?" the mind walker asked

"Ino-san me and Naruto are friends and rivals, but we have nothing to offer each other that way. I see him as an annoying brother more than anything. Why do you insist otherwise anyway?" the blue haired girl asked

"I think you two would make a good couple." The purple clad girl said with a shrug

"Ino, odds are that I'm going to be placed in an arranged marriage. Romance has no place in my life." The heiress said with a sigh.

"That's kind of sad." The blond girl said with a frown

"It is my duty nothing more or less." The pale eyed girl said without thought.

"Do you know what Naruto's hiding from us?" Ino asked changing subjects.

"No, only that it isn't something he'll reveal willingly. Everyone has secrets Ino-san he'll tell us when he's ready" Shino answered for most of them.

"I guess but it's frustrating..." the blond girl said irritated.

"I have to return to my home" Hinata said and turned to leave

"Come on Ino our folks are here" the large boy said. The group made their way from the academy.

**Briefing Room (Hokage Tower)**

"Alright we have 9 genin left and three teams to fill out who wants what?" The old Kage asked of the remaining Jonins.

"I would like to create a heavy combat team, with Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto" the one eyed jonin said.

"That's just cruel Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke don't get along at all and Sakura isn't much better." The genjutsu mistress said.

"So you want Naruto then?" the masked man asked quirking his visible eyebrow.

"I'll admit he'd be an asset for my team but I can't teach him." Kurenai said frowning.

"What do you mean?" Genma asked he traditionally took the infiltration teams. Wasn't sure why he was here though.

"Naruto can't cast gen-jutsu to save his life. He's immune to lower type ones and it's tricky to get him caught in upper level ones. I really don't see what I could teach him." The black haired woman said with a shrug.

"So essentially we have a tai-jutsu powerhouse with more chakra then me, but no idea how to use it externally?" Asuma thought out loud.

"Indeed which means logically he should be given to someone with high Nin-jutsu and tai-jutsu to bring him along." Kakashi said.

"Normally you would be right, but I believe that the time has come for a combat infiltration team." The Sandaime said calmly.

"We haven't had one of those since the second war!" the bearded jonin shouted.

"Combat Infiltration team?" Kurenai asked she was still relatively new as a jonin.

"A team that specializes in deep territory raids, they go into heavily fortified areas and then do as much damage as possible before leaving. They along with the Nidaime were the main reasons we won the second war but the causalities were so severe that the concept was retired." The silver haired jonin answered helpfully.

"The concept was not flawed, merely it execution. Thus Genma you will be taking Naruto Uzumaki, Shino Aburame, and Ino Yamanaka and teach them how to infiltrate. When you deem them ready find appropriate teachers to educate them in their weakness." The old man said.

"Hokage-sama, I'll admit they all seem to be exceptional but they don't have abilities that mesh at all."

"Naruto-your close combat specialist, teach him, a few defensive nin-jutsu and give him some experience and he can take down anyone one on one. Shino-long range specialist depending on training could possible rival the clan founder for long range take downs. Ino-support specialist has the ability to be an excellent gen-jutsu and espionage specialist. Together I think that these three can take just about anything." Sarutobi said lighting his pipe.

"You can't be serious breaking up the Ino-Shika-Cho trio? That team's been around for generations." Asuma said almost whining, he had really wanted that team.

"Yes they have, and you don't think our enemies are developing strategies to counter them? No if we need them the trio again we will reform it but for now this is my decision." Sandaime said no hint of give in his voice.

"Hai Hokage-sama" the collected jonin said in defeat.

**Naruto's apartment**

Ino had finally given in to her curiosity. Tonight while Naruto slept she would walk inside his mind. _'I Hope he can forgive me for this._ 'The girl thought as she snuck into the bedroom. It furnished but there was no real indication besides the clothes that anyone lived here. Looking around she saw Naruto in a meditation pose sweat pouring off him. _'What could make that happen it feels like there's a war going on, from the chakra in the room' _clearing her head Ino made the hand signs for the Shintenshin no jutsu.

**Naruto's mind**

"What the?" the blond girl asked out loud. Ino hadn't mind walked often but she knew how they were suppose to look. Buildings and outdoor areas were the norm. This was just a blank room. Naruto formed in front of her.

"You should not be here I do not have the skill to protect you and hold back the demon, leave now!" The blond boy said harshly.

"Demon, what demon?" the purple clad girl asked confused. A large 8 tailed fox demon appeared behind him.

**Uzumaki you will die**

"No help for it, Ino leave now! I can't end the link until you leave" Naruto said grabbing the girl and throwing her out of range of the Kyuubi.

"I'm trying" the young mind walker was doing everything in her power to leave.

"Heavenly Wave!" the blond boy called sending a wave of chakra forcing the demon back.

**I'm going to kill her Uzumaki and taint all that holy chakra of yours**

"My father did not give into you, I shall not either!" the former monk said summoning a monk spade to aid him. Ino watched as Naruto did battle with the fox demon it was terrifying and at the same time comforting. The former monk hit the fox demon in one of the tails

"Ino try it now!" Naruto called. Ino nodded and made the release sign disappearing from the mindscape

"Well Kyuubi-san we'll have to continue this day" the blond said cutting the link and returning to the real world.

**Real world**

"What the hell was that?" Ino shrieked. As Naruto followed he took deep breaths calming his body and pondering how to answer the question.

"That Ino-chan was the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Now promise me you will never do that again." Naruto said calmly.

"The Kyuubi? But its dead." The mind walker girl said in shock. She still nodded that she would never do go inside his mind again.

"No it isn't humans do not have the power to kill such things the best we can do is to seal or purify them. I was the one chosen for the sealing" The former monk said with a sigh.

"But all the books said..." the blond haired girl said trying to wrap her mind around it.

"Tell me Ino what would have happened if people knew the truth? Do you think for one moment that in their anger and grief they wouldn't try to kill me?" the whiskered boy asked in a chiding tone.

"I guess, that's why you left right? To get away from people hurting you." Ino asked in a defeated tone.

"No Master Sarutobi kept me safe for the most part. The ninja's were mostly indifferent or loyal enough to not attack. The villagers despite their hatred had enough fear to not do anything normally. Even though they did not hurt me they didn't help either. I was virtually alone and so when a kind man came and offered me a place where I wasn't alone I took it." The boy moved quickly to correct that misconception.

"So why did you come back?" the mind walking girl asked.

"I found out about the Kyuubi nearly six years ago, three years ago I began to purify his chakra much quicker than the seal was designed to. Yet the seal was beyond us it was decided that I would go to Konoha and have the Sandaime and Jiraiya inspect the seal to make sure it wasn't being damaged by my efforts. Jiraiya wasn't there and Master Sarutobi convinced me to join the academy. From there you know what happened" Naruto said with a shrug.

"Will you leave again?" the Yamanaka girl asked almost afraid of the answer.

"I doubt it...I have come to care for people in this village and will fight for it. Besides I still haven't had Jiraiya look at the seal." The former monk said with a smile.

"Good because I don't think any of us want you to leave" the mind walker said in relief.

"So you're not afraid of me?" the whiskered boy said a bit surprised.

"You're too nice to be the Kyuubi besides I saw you fighting it." Ino waved off his concerns.

"I'm glad to hear you say that. I have to ask you not to tell anyone, Master Sarutobi's law prevents this secret being told by anyone other than myself or the Hokage." The former monk said getting serous again.

"Alright...you should tell the others though." The purple clad girl acknowledged the law but didn't like it.

"It isn't something you or anyone needs to know, by my life or death I will destroy the demon. That is my duty there's no need to burden anyone else with it." The blond boy said causally.

"Death? You're going to kill yourself?" Ino said in a panic. Why she didn't know but something told her that she couldn't let him die.

"What no, the seal links us so that if I die the Kyuubi dies. That's all I meant" the jinchuruki said frantically.

"Okay, I don't want you to die Naruto, I'm sure Hinata and the rest don't either." The blond girl said with a sad smile.

"I have no intention of dying, Ino-chan but I'm aware of the possibility." Naruto said slipping into the monk's role without meaning to.

"So Ino-chan, are you ready for the future?" the blond asked, curious.

"What?" Ino had seen Naruto's philosophical side before but he rarely asked questions.

"Tomorrow things will change for all of us. A few years maybe less and we will all have our first kills, people we care about will die and we will become hated by some, loved by others. Are you ready for that?" the former monk said judging his friend's reactions.

"I think so..." the mind walker said, she knew about that but hadn't really thought about it in depth.

"Good answer. Now go home and get some sleep Ino-chan" Naruto said as if Ino had passed some test.

Ino nodded and made her way from the apartment. The jinchuruki watched her leave and sighed. Things were about to get a lot more complicated he just knew it.

**Next day (Jonin lounge)**

"Alright you two are going to help me figure out what to teach Naruto. I know in general the Yamanaka and Aburame abilities and they have families to help out. Naruto doesn't. Asuma you've trained with the fire monks, Kurenai you've trained the boy so..." Genma motioned towards the two jonin to tell them to start.

"Well I'll go first then." The bearded jonin said taking a long drag on his cigarette.

"Monks train differently than we do that is a fact. However even I know only hearsay when it comes to Naruto's order. The monks of the Divine Path are warrior monks in every sense of the term. According to rumour their history stretches back to the Old Empire. All I can say ask him what he did at the monastery and work around that." The chain smoking jonin finished.

"Alright not as helpful as I had hoped. Kurenai if you would." The senbon chewing jonin asked.

"As Hokage-sama said Naruto's tai-jutsu and bo-jutsu is chuunin level if not higher. He has an immense store of chakra and decent control for the size he works with. However Naruto has trouble performing jutsus lower then c-ranks they take a fair bit of concentration to perform. And like I said last night the boy can't use gen-jutsu to save his life." The gen-jutsu mistress said with a shake of her head.

"But he is immune you said?" the brown haired jonin said.

"Only to ones that directly affect the body. If you know what you're doing you can still mess with his mind. Tricky though the boy has spatial awareness down to a science" Kurenai said with a frown. Even she found it challenging to trap the boy in a genjutsu

"That's actually pretty common for monks particularly for the warrior type, they know their bodies to well to be fooled and the way they fight involves honing their senses to fine edge to see things almost before they happen." The bearded jonin said taking another long drag.

"Well that helps a little, thanks. Still can't believe that Hokage-sama wants me to create a combat infiltration team. "The bandana wearing jonin said as he got up and left. Kurenai started giggling.

"Something funny Kurenai?" the chain smoking jonin asked.

"Naruto has a few odd quirks and enjoys annoying people. I think he's going to have fun with Genma" the black haired woman said smiling.

"This is for what he said during the party last month isn't it?" Asuma said, wondering why Genma had to hit on women all the time.

"Maybe" the red eyed jonin said giving an enigmatic smile. Asuma shook his head, woman were crazy.

Still he wondered just what his old man was thinking with these teams on the other hand he didn't have to teach so it all worked out.

**Konoha Academy**

"Team seven will consist of Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and Shikimaru Nara. Your jonin sensei will be Kakashi Hatake" Iruka said in a monotone ignoring Sakura's and Naruto's cheers.

"Team eight will consist of Hinata Hyuuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Chouji Akimichi. Your jonin sensei is Kurenai Yuuhi. Team 9 is still in circulation from last year. Team 10 is made up of Naruto Uzumaki, Ino Yamanaka and Shino Aburame. Your sensei is Genma Shiranui" the scarred teacher finished.

"Alright you guys have two hours to get to know each other, be back here by noon to meet your senseis. Before you go I just like to say I'm proud of everyone here. I know you'll make fine shinobi of the leaf" The teacher said smiling. This class had a lot of potential, now it was time to see what they could do.

**Ichikaru's Ramen Stand**

"This has to be an illusion. It just has to" Ino said in disbelief as she watched Naruto eat bowl after bowl of ramen.

"If it is my Kikai cannot detect the illusion." The bug using genin said. Despite showing nothing on his face internally his mind was screaming that this was a trick of someone.

"No illusion. Naruto just really, really likes ramen." The ramen waitress said with a nervous laugh.

"So he does this a lot then?" the blond girl said in surprise.

"No he only does this once or twice a month......something about being unable to resist temptation." Ayame said with a hmm look on her face

"Kami-sama, forgive me for being weak." The former monk said as he finished the last bowl.

"Weak?" The stoic genin asked.

"Although I am no longer a monk I still strive to live by their virtues, one of them is moderation in eating. However I cannot control myself when it comes to ramen." The blond jinchuruki said with a sigh.

"So all of you are on the same team then?" Ichikaru asked having come out of the kitchen.

"Yeah we aren't sure why though, none of our specialities really mesh" the purple clad girl said.

"Hello I assume your team 10?" a voice called from behind them.

"We are and you are shinobi san?" Shino said still in the creepy monotone he used with outsiders.

"I am Genma Shiranui. I am going to be teaching you three the fine art of infiltration and later combat." The senbon chewing jonin said.

"I thought we were going to meet at the academy Genma-san" the jinchuruki said.

"Kid I'm pretty laid back but I am your sensei and you will call me as such." The brown haired jonin said with a little irritation.

"If you say so Genma-san." The blond boy said with a perfectly innocent expression.

"He's going to be difficult isn't he?" the bandana wearing jonin said with a sigh.

"Naruto's just trying to gauge your temperament Genma-sensei. Depending on how you react over the next few days will tell him how to act toward you." Ino helpfully explained.

"So he tests everyone this way?" Genma asked he didn't need this.

"Naruto only tests people in authority except the Hokage for some reason." Shino said calmly.

"Alright might as well get the meet and greet out of the way. Monk boy tell me a bit about your skills, dreams and anything else you consider interesting." The senbon chewing jonin said.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I am fairly skilled in tai-jutsu and bo-jutsu. However my nin-jutsu is merely average and my gen-jutsu non-existent. My dream is to finish something my father started when I was born. I like ramen, my friends and Master Sarutobi. I dislike people who assume superiority over others and refuse to deal with their past." The jinchuruki said.

"Good, bug boy you're up." Genma said causally

"My name is Aburame Shino. I am skilled with the use of my family Kikai bug jutsu. I am considered average in other areas. My dream is to become the greatest Aburame there is. I like bugs, my team mates and family. I dislike people who hurt bugs unnecessarily and those who judge based on what one has rather then what one is." The bug user said his monotone unchanged.

"Alright, blond girl you're last." The jonin said pointing at the last member of the team.

"My name is Yamanaka Ino. I'm fairly good with my family techniques. I'm honestly more of support specialist then combat so my tai and nin-jutsu isn't that great. I know a few low level gen-jutsu. My dream is to help my friends and become as famous as my father. I like my friends, flowers and learning my clan techniques. I dislike people who lie to me and those that are cruel for no reason." The mind walker said.

"Okay then guess it's my turn. You know my name already. I am what they call an infiltration specialist; unlike most I do have a fair bit of skill at combat. I prefer the use of senbon and long range tactics, but I can fight at close range. My current dream is to teach you three fast as possible so I can get back to doing what I love. I like my friends, learning new techniques and going on missions. I my dislikes aren't important. Now I'm to turn you three into the first combat infiltration team Konoha's had since the second war. To do that I'm going to push you each to your limits, Naruto you remember the training at the monastery?" Genma finished. The whiskered boy nodded.

"Good because starting tomorrow you three will be doing part of that routine every day. We will also be doing infiltration, and jutsu training. When I consider you ready we'll start doing missions." The senbon chewing jonin smiled at Naruto's expression, the blond was surprised that Genma would do that.

"Sensei training that way will improve us all no doubt...but perhaps I should tell them what it consists of first?" the blue eyed boy asked. Genma nodded towards the boy.

"Training will be hard; first you will both have to choose a style. Every day you will practice the katas for that style on various environments. Balance beams and solid platforms at first but as you improve we'll add wire walking, wall walking and water walking as well. In addition to this we will also use gravity, resistance seals. On top of all that we will have to complete all the katas in a set time as well as do physical training." The former monk said eyeing his team mates. They thought it was going to be easy for the looks of it.

"So Naruto given your tai-jutsu expertise what styles would you choose for them?" the brown haired jonin was surprised at the intensity of the training the boy had described.

"Hmm... Shino fights non-linearly but relies on hard single strikes to defeat his opponents along with his Kikai to set them up for the strikes. For him I would recommend Wing Chun. Ino fights a more linearly but relies on quick successive strikes to bring her opponent down, she's very fond of kicking combos so Tae Kwon Do would suit her well. However I don't know enough to teach either of these styles." The former monk finished.

"Well fortunately for you those styles do have scrolls in the library and worse comes to worse I can always ask Gai..." Genma said suppressing a shudder.

"I understand the concept but why were we chosen to make a combat infiltration team?" Shino asked.

"Simply put the Hokage feels that each of you can excel at multiple roles. Naruto he says you can become a close range specialist that can defeat anyone in single combat, add in some of the more advanced clones and jutsu we create a one man wrecking crew. Shino your Kikai abilities and intelligence mean you can fulfill the long range role as well as team strategist/tactician. Ino your abilities and will eventually allow you to be the perfect support specialist as well as the espionage specialist of the team." The senbon chewing jonin explained.

"Master Sarutobi expects great things of us doesn't he?" the former monk said rhetorically.

"Yes he does, normally we're supposed to test the genin to see if they had good team work but you guys need more than a day to come up with that so I'm not going to bother. Meet me at training ground 10 tomorrow and we'll start training." Genma said and shushined away.

"I have got to learn how to do that." The blond boy said.

"It appears that the next few months are going to be difficult." The bug user commented.

"We'll get through it together right guys?" the purple clad girls said enthusiastically. Both nodded, Naruto giving a smile.

A/N: Well another week another chapter. Anyway thanks for the reviews and story alerts everyone one! It's probably going to be a few weeks before I post anymore chapters. (School sucks sometimes.) Also my beta disappeared on me so sorry about the problems in this chapter. (If anyone wants to beta send me a PM). Lastly will someone take my story challenge? Please? Check my profile for info and rules.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

**Kyuubi**

**Scene change**

**Training ground 10**

"Let see have the seal papers, the balance beams, the scrolls. Am I missing anything?" Naruto wondered out loud.

"Well you're here early Naruto." A senbon chewing jonin said walking up to the former monk.

"Well there's a lot of set up involved for the kind of training you want Genma-san" The jinchuruki answered the implied question.

"Still not your sensei eh?" the bandana wearing jonin said with a crooked smile.

"You have yet to teach me anything." The blond pointed out. Genma nodded showing he acknowledged the point.

"So how does this training work anyway?" The brown haired man asked chewing his senbon.

"Within the Order there are three ways to enlightenment, way of the body, spirit, and mind. In order to truly achieve enlightenment all three ways must be pursued equally to their fullest. Today I will show you the way of the body once you understand that, the ways of the spirit and mind are not too hard to comprehend" The blue eyed boy said seriously

"Way of the body that means physical training." Genma said working it out in his head.

"Right one must learn the three components of the physical: precision, speed and strength. Precision is about understanding both 'where' you are going to move and 'why' you are moving. Speed is the 'when' you are going to move. Strength is the 'how' you are going to move. One must have balance in all three or one will be defeated." The former monk said nodding to himself.

"Hey Naruto, Genma-sensei" The young mind-walker called walking into the training ground.

"Good you're here. Let's get these seals on to you." The blond boy said pulling out five strips of paper.

"What?" The purple clad girl said. Seals? No one said anything about seals right off the bat did they?

"You and Shino are both going to have resistance seals along with a low level gravity seal placed on your bodies. Once you are fully acclimated to both we will add training weights." The Jinchuruki answered.

"Genma-sensei?" The blond girl asked looking at her sensei for help out of this mess.

"Ninjas usually don't study seals in depth enough to make these kinds of seals but they are useful if you can make them. Put them on." The bandana wearing jonin said doing his best to hold in a laugh at Ino's expression.

"Just put the resistance seals on your limbs and the gravity seal on your neck and activate them with chakra. There will be some...adjustments on your part." The former monk said handing the seal papers to her. Ino did as told and promptly fell down.

"Son of a bitch I can barley move!" the young mind-walker said swearing.

"You just put on a 1.5 gravity seal along with 4 resistance seals what did you expect?" Naruto asked shaking his head at Ino's profanity. Ino made no answer.

"What are resistance seals anyway? I've never heard of them before yesterday." The blond girl asked instead of continuing to curse her team mate and sensei.

"Resistance seals basically make it feel like you're moving in water or some other thick substance instead of air this means you have fight harder in order to achieve the same range of motion." Genma answered. He had never used seals but he had a vague notion on how to make them and knew what most of them did.

"Exactly right now you're trying to move in water that's roughly a hundred meters below the surface at the depth the pressure makes it incredibly hard to move add that to the gravity seal and well you get this." The jinchuruki explained to his friend. This was difficult but not the hardest thing he could have given them he did have a couple of 5 gravity seals. _'No better give those to Genma-san. Our bodies wouldn't be able to handle it. Well mine would but I really don't want to explain why.' _The former monk thought.

"Not that I'm complaining but why didn't you just use heavier gravity seals?" Ino asked.

"Any heavier and it would permanently damage your skeleton to use heavier seals one must be an adult. However I do have a seal for Genma-san" the former monk said with an enigmatic smile.

"Kid I don't need seals, I fight from the shadows if I can and do the hit and run thing if I can't a seal ain't going to help me" the brown haired jonin said.

"I have no use for them so have one anyway." The blond boy said handing one to his sensei. _'Hmm this does give me a way to payback Raido for leaving me with the bar tab last month. Heh sweet sweet revenge'_ The jonin thought unaware he was cackling out loud.

"Genma-sensei are you okay?" asks an obviously disturbed Ino. People shouldn't laugh like that, was the thought in both blondes' heads.

"Huh? Oh sure. Thank you for the seal Naruto." The jonin said getting his mind pack on the present.

"Genma-san has a very disturbing laugh" the blue eyed boy said with a shudder.

"Indeed, I hope I am not late." The bug ninja said as he appeared in the group.

"Nope these two just arrived early. Get your seals from Naruto and turn them on." The senbon chewing jonin said with a gesture. Shino walked over to his friend received the seals. After activation the only noise was a grunt. Of course for Shino that was the equivalent of going on a rampage while setting things on fire.

"Sorry Shino should have warned you." The jinchuruki said sheepishly rubbing his neck.

"I will survive." The bug-nin said stoically. _'It is fortunate that my kikai are unharmed by these seals. I would hate to have to hurt my first friend.'_

"Alright kids while you two adjust to the seals. I am going to give you the basics of the fine art of infiltration." Genma said with a smile. It felt good to bring others into the crazy world that was a spy's.

The genin nodded seemingly eager to learn.

"Alright to begin with infiltration is hiding in plain sight. You will be given roles and cover stories you're going to have to learn each of those better than your own life. Now this is how to do it....." And so Genma began his first lecture in years.

**Hyuuga Compound (Night)**

"You can no longer stall, Hiashi-sama. Hinata has proven her worth enough that she will be the heiress. Hanabi will be relegated to the branch house unless you can prove otherwise." One of the elders said.

"You forget yourself Elder, I am the head of this clan not you." Hiashi said trying to figure out a way to save his daughter.

"We mean no disrespect but the laws and traditions of the clan come first." Another elder said, inwardly chuckling to himself. Try to fight the clan would he? They would show Hiashi what happens when you do so.

"Hinata is strong and a worthy heir I will acknowledge that but things happen. She is not a man to make sure there is a viable heir now when she's thirteen." The clan head said glowering at the council.

"So you would go against the traditions of the Clan?"Another elder asked in a sickening tone of voice. Hiashi had to make a choice....There was no choice. _'I will pretend to agree and smuggle Hanabi out of the compound tonight. Hopefully I can get her refuge with one of the other clans'_ Hiashi thought and sighed and gave the answer he didn't want to give.

"No but I still protest it is too soon to decide." The grim faced man said with a slight tick of his eyes showing his true emotions.

"Hanabi Hyuuga will be sealed and relegated into the branch house tomorrow." The elders intoned.

"Very well" Hiashi said stiffly and got up and left. What none of them had known was that the heiress was listening. Deciding that even if it cost her everything, she would not lose her sister to the seal Hinata ran to her sister's room.

"Nee-chan what's wrong?" Hanabi asked her older sister.

"The council has finally forced father to seal you." The heiress spat with anger.

"You promised they never would!" The younger girl stammered her eyes laced with fear. Her sister had promised that the seal would never be placed on her

"I intend to keep that promise. I have a friend who can provide you safe haven but we need to leave now. Take only what you need." The older girl said firmly. Hanabi rushed packing her clothes and the few keepsakes that she had.

"Ready" Hanabi said doing her best to hide her fear.

"Good, follow me" The heiress said her heart pounding. The sisters made their way silently through the compound avoiding all the people. Both had activated their byakugan a taboo with the compound for most Hyuuga. At the wall Hinata grabbed her sister and ran up it thanking Kami for all of the chakra control exercises she had been forced to do.

Hiashi walked into Hanabi's room preparing his explanation and plan to save his daughter. Only the room was empty and it looked like there had been frantic packing recently. Evidently someone else was going to save his daughter. _ 'Whoever you are thank you. I could never face my wife if I allowed this to happen' _Hiashi thought as he looked out the window.

**Naruto's Apartment**

*Knock Knock*

"Who could that be at this time of night?" The jinchuruki asked getting up from his meditations. Opening the door he saw his friend and a smaller girl looked like the two were related.

"Hello Hinata-san what brings you here?" the blond asked.

"I'll explain in a bit can we come inside Naruto?" The older girl said.

"Sure make yourselves at home. Want any tea?" Naruto moves aside and motions to them. Both girls go inside and sit at the table.

"I would like some tea, Naruto-san" Hanabi says. Naruto nods and goes to put a kettle on to boil.

"So you two going to explain or do I have to wait a bit longer?" The jinchuruki says with a chuckle.

"You know about the bird cage seal?" The heiress asks. Naruto nods.

"They were going to put on my sister Hanabi tomorrow we need to get her out of Konoha to that monastery of yours" Hinata says.

"As much as I would like to help out they won't accept her at the monastery. After all she is female and accepting her would involve the monastery in politics and Master Wu is an isolationist. I do have one other option it's not really one I want to use but to prevent that seal from being proliferated I will." The former monk says with a solemn air.

"Other option?" The heiress asked cautious

"My father was a man of some standing within the village he has a compound on the outskirts of town, right now I'm the only one who can get in there but I can place Hanabi there for a few weeks until we get a better plan. Worse comes to worse I can formally claim my inheritance and place her under my clan's protection" Naruto says standing up. The blond moves to get some tea and places some in front of all of them.

"Who was your father?" Hanabi asked not understanding.

"Who else do you know that has blond hair and blue eyes like me?" The jinchuruki says with a smile.

"You mean your father is the Yondaime?" The heiress said spewing out her tea as she connected the dots.

"Yes he is but I do not wish to claim that name yet. I am strong but not as strong as I would like to be. And I really don't feel like having Iwa jonins trying to kill me just yet" The blond says without a hint of sarcasm.

"So then you will hide my sister in the Namikaze compound?" The older girl says hoping that she's right.

"Hai, my order created that seal for criminals, not so that a family could enslave itself." The former monk said seriously.

"Hanabi I have to get back to the compound. You can trust Naruto; he's never lied to me or betrayed me." The heiress told her sister.

"But Oneechan—"The younger girl sensed an evil presence around Naruto.

"Hanabi-san I will do everything in my power to keep you safe you have my word as head of the Namikaze and Adept of the Divine Path." The blue eyed boy said.

"But what is that evil inside you then?" The ex-Hyuuga asked still scared.

"So you can sense it? Strange most never awaken their chakra sense to that level so early." The former monk said holding his chin into a thinking pose.

"What is she talking about?" Hinata was confused. Naruto seeing no help for it decided to tell his friend about the demon inside him. _'Hinata-chan always deals with things better when she's curious. Best to ask then answer' _The Jinchuruki thought.

"Tell me how does one kill a demon?" Naruto asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" The heiress said still confused.

"Bear with me. The answer is that one doesn't. The power to kill such things has been lost to humans. The best we can do is to seal or purify them. However demons like the Kyuubi cannot be sealed in mere objects it requires a human. In most cases a newborn child. When the Kyuubi attacked all those years ago my father sealed the demon inside me. That demon is what you sense Hanabi-san. Don't worry it doesn't control me. It and I are enemies at best." The former monk said taking a mental breath and preparing for the worst.

"What? That's what you've been hiding from us why?" The pale eyed girl said shocked at what Naruto held and hurt that her friend hadn't told her the truth earlier.

"There is nothing you can do about it. It is my duty to bear this burden. I didn't want to worry you about it." The blond said quietly

"We will discuss this later for now we need to make sure my sister is safe. I trust you Naruto but if she gets hurt then Kami herself won't be able to stop me from hurting you understand?" The heiress said glowering at her friend. Who possessing the survival instinct of all males nodded furiously.

"Hanabi, stay safe. I will find a way to bring you home again." The blue haired genin said wrapping her arms around her sister. Hanabi hugs her sister as she fights off tears. The older girl breaks the embrace and with a sad smile leaves the apartment.

"I will bring you to my clan's compound tomorrow. Tonight we wait, your family will not let you escape easily Hanabi-san we must be careful." The blond said clearing away the dishes. Hanabi felt what little was left of her resolve crumble at the boy's words. Her family was hunting her in order to imprison her with the seal. Her family that she had always counted on had abandoned her. Naruto returned to see the young girl racked by sobs.

"There, there it's going to be alright" the blond cooed as he held his now adopted sister. The sobs continued long into the night.

**The next morning**

"Wake up Hanabi-chan. We have lot to do." A soft voice reached the young girls ears. Hanabi woke up briefly confused until she remembered the events of the previous night. Today she was going to the Namikaze compound to hide, even though she didn't know where the compound was.

"Naruto-san where is the Namikaze compound? I've never seen it" The pale eyed girl asked.

"Well my ancestors were a rather paranoid bunch. They actually found a natural underground cave and put the compound in there. That combined with the old man's seal mastery means that no one who doesn't have some Namikaze blood in them can get in without my help. The bigger question is how to get there without you being seen." The former monk said with an air of detachment.

"What do you mean?" Hanabi knew that she could trust the boy in front of her from her sister's words. But she still didn't know him very well.

"Well your former family they won't like the idea of anyone with byakugan not under their control. So they are probably searching for you right now. Discreetly of course wouldn't due for the most powerful family in Konoha to lose face over one of their own." The blond said.

"Former family?" the young former Hyuuga didn't like where this was going at all.

"Until your sister takes control of the Hyuuga it would be best if you didn't think of yourself as one. I know that's hard to accept but...." the blue eyed boy said with a shrug.

Hanabi was a smart girl for her age and mentally knew that her new guardian was right. However the mind and the heart do not always agree.

"I may not use that name, Naruto-san but I am a Hyuuga and always will be." The younger girl said fiercely, causing Naruto to chuckle.

"Training you is going to be fun isn't it?" The former monk said rhetorically.

"Training?" the pale eyed girl said confused. Yes her guardian was a ninja and from the way he acted a former monk so he could train her but why would he?

'For better or worse you have a degree of spiritual awareness not seen for many centuries. In order to protect your mind and soul I will train you how to control that awareness." The blond said seriously.

"What do you mean mind and soul?" Hanabi said a little afraid of the answer.

"There are 'things' for lack of a better term that walk around this world. Normally they cannot affect humans and vice versa. However people like you they can affect. It's the only way for them to affect our world. The fact that they can see but never touch has driven most of them mad you do not want one of them possessing you. So to prevent that you will be trained." The former monk said staring into her eyes as if trying to see something that wasn't there.

"So any benefits from having this 'awareness'?" The young girl asked exasperated.

"Some, you will be able to read the flow of battle better than all but the most seasoned warriors and you can detect other beings with demons inside them. Other then that I can't say...I really don't know enough about yours or Konoha's history to answer." The jinchuruki said holding his hands up in apology. '_I just had to adopt her as a sister...and she doesn't know because the Namikaze oath isn't known outside of the clan' _ The blond said, although he didn't like his father he did accept that it was for the best and that he should continue the tradition of his family.

"Alright let's get to your compound...I have to get used to this eventually." The young ex-Hyuuga said. Naruto nodded and led her out of the apartment.

"On my back, speed is our best defence" The former monk said kneeling. Hanabi gave a sigh and climbed on.

Flying over the rooftops the jinchuruki was expanding his chakra sense to avoid anyone who might be looking for his charge. Winded Naruto let the girl off at the compound entrance. Pulling a kunai the blond cut his palm and placed it on the entrance seal. As the portal opened two Hyuuga's arrived. Naruto grabbed Hanabi and threw her into the portal before cutting it off.

"You will return the girl to us." The first Hyuuga said.

"I don't think so." The blond retorted lazily setting into a stance.

"You will do so or you will be destroyed peasant." The second Hyuuga snarled.

"Well then let's see what you can do." The former monk said pulling out his collapsible staff and fusing it with chakra.

"You truly think you can stand against the greatest tai-jutsu in Konoha?" The first Hyuuga said incredulous.

"Won't know till I try." Naruto said with a smirk. The two Hyuuga attacked their palms glowing. Naruto dodged the first one's attack and took the second one's attack to the heart. Both Hyuugas stopped confident that their foe was dead. That lasted for about a second before the blond attacked. The first one found his Jaw broken from a kick the other fell down having had his knee destroyed from the staff.

"Guess I can stand against the greatest tai-jutsu. You Hyuuga's rely too much on your bloodline and chakra to say you have the greatest tai-jutsu." The former monk said shaking his head. _'Have to go get groceries for Hanabi-chan. When was I supposed to meet my team again? Oh right about nine o'clock and then missions. Can't believe that d-ranks actually count as training according to Genma'_ Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by a shouted.

"You will pay for your transgressions against the Hyuuga!" as more clan members attacked.

"Oh for the love of Kami..." the blond said exasperated. The formers monk's staff became a blur as he moved through the crowd of Hyuugas.

Sarutobi was having a good day. Paperwork was taken care of, Danzo wasn't being an ass and the genin teams seemed to be well on their way to success. Walking through the clan district he decided on a whim to go see the entrance to his successor's house. Only to see one Uzumaki Naruto single handily beating half of the Hyuuga branch house with nothing more than a glorified stick. Sighing as he rubbed his head Sarutobi wondered why he always had to jinx it by thinking that he was having a good day.

"All of you stand down!" The aged kage barked.

"As you wish Master Sarutobi" The jinchuruki said retracting his staff.

"Hokage-sama this monster attacked us we demand that you arrest him." One of the Hyuuga's a main branch member shouted.

"I defended myself as allowed by the law. Your men struck the first blow." The former monk returned the accusation levelly. In another world he would be screaming and trying to kill these men. However his training held firm.

"You are hiding a fugitive from the clan." The same man said with a snarl.

"I am hiding one of my own." Naruto said with a 'do not fuck with me' tone.

"You are a commoner" The Hyuuga said not picking up on the subtle hint to drop the issue. The blond sighed...he had always felt that it would come to this just not so soon.

"I am Naruto Namikaze and I have formally inducted Hanabi Namikaze into my clan." The Namikaze heir said doing his best regal impression

"Lies there are no more Namikaze." The same man kept digging his own grave.

"Tell me who else in the village had hair and eyes like my own?" The boy said. _'Now that I think about it he does look like the spitting image of his old man...but how did he find out?'_ Sarutobi mused waiting to see how this played out.

"That is not real proof Naruto-san merely circumstantial evidence" Another Hyuuga said not really wanting to get the boy angry enough to start fighting again. Decided to try to use a little diplomacy.

"You are right that my looks are not real proof but the fact that I can open the portal to the Namikaze compound is don't you agree Master Sarutobi?" The blond acknowledged the point but sounded the death knell on the idea that he wasn't the master of the Namikaze.

"Naruto is telling the truth about his heritage so by the laws your clan so stringently upholds. Hanabi Hyuuga is no more there is only Hanabi Namikaze and that puts her out your reach. Unless you wish to formally revoke the clan protection charter." The aged Hokage said in a 'Please do it make my day' tone.

"That will not be necessary, forgive us Namikaze-san" The diplomatic Hyuuga said as the rest of them retreated.

"Now Naruto do you mind explaining what in the 9 levels of Hell were you doing!?" The Professor of Konoha asked still calm despite his words.

"I apologize for any difficulties I have caused you Master Sarutobi. Last night a friend of Hanabi's brought her to me. The original plan was for me to get Hanabi to the monastery but Master Wu would never allow it so we came up with the plan of hiding her in my compound. Unfortunately we were caught by the Hyuuga leading to what happened." The blue eyed boy said with a formal bow to show his regret over what happened.

"I see so you have formally inducted her into the clan?" The old man asked, knowing that this was going cause a lot of unwanted paperwork if the boy answered yes.

"I have, although she doesn't know that I have. The way the Namikazes grant clan membership is very old and not used anymore. I was going to explain before I left for team training today" The Namikaze heir said calmly.

"I see. I can't blame you for protecting your friend's sister like that. However try not to be so rash in the future Naruto. Now while I accept that your taijutsu and bo-jutsu are better than anyone, save for a specialist in those things. However you will need a body guard not everyone is like the Hyuuga and focused purely on tai-jutsu and the other villages will move to either kill you or take you as their own." Sarutobi said wishing for his pipe.

"I understand Master Sarutobi, who shall you assign as my guard then?" Naruto was not happy about having a 'guard' but understood that this was non-negotiable.

"A man named Yamato I think he's powerful and capable enough to keep up with you." The Sandaime said after some thought.

"Alright by your leave Master Sarutobi I have to go talk with Hanabi. I threw her in their rather haphazardly" The former monk said with a nervous smile

"Go ahead. I'll go deal with the Hyuuga" Sarutobi said suppressing a groan, he hated dealing with the Hyuuga. Naruto gave another bow and reactivated the portal.

**Namikaze compound**

"Naruto-san? Where are you?" Hanabi asked. She had found herself in a dark room she couldn't see anything even with her byakugan. Looking around the young girl worried over how she was going to get out of here and whether or not Naruto was still safe. A flash of light appeared behind her as a portal opened.

"Sorry about that Hanabi-chan. Hold on let me find the light seal." The blond said appearing behind her. Waving his hand over a seal on the wall the room became illuminated by glowing runes.

"Call me Hanabi-san please. You may be my new guardian but I don't feel comfortable being called that" The pale eyed girl said.

"I am not calling my sister Hanabi-san. It's either chan or chin your choice." The blue eyed boy said shaking his head.

"Sister?" the ex-Hyuuga stuttered. She had never imagined that this person would bring her into a new clan just to help a friend.

"When I swore that as a Namikaze I would protect you I formally inducted you into my clan by our laws and my views you're my adopted sister. It is the only way to truly protect you. By law any attack of you counts as an attack on the Namikaze and that invokes the defence clause of the charter." The blond said with a formal solemnity.

"I know the charter prevents the Hokage and the rest of the Konoha from directly interfering in the clans but I've never heard of the defence clause. What is it?" Hanabi asked, although losing the position of clan heiress years ago had some training in inter clan politics and was curious about what could stop her family.

"I don't know too much about the charter itself but the defence clause states that any clan that starts a clan war will have every other clan in Konoha declare war on that clan." The jinchuruki said.

"So if my family attacks or tries to kidnap me...." the young girl said working out the implications of that.

"Correct I will invoke the defence clause and the Hyuuga will face every clan in Konoha. Your former clan is strong but not strong enough to face all of us." The blond said fiercely. Hanabi realized that her new brother would go to hell and back to protect her. _'I don't understand. Yes he and my sister are friends but this goes beyond friendship. He's willing to fight my entire clan for me why? What's his reason?_ The ex Hyuuga had to know. People just don't do things for nothing do they?

"Why? Why are you doing all of this it can't just be because of my sister." The pale eyed girl asked.

"You sister is part of the reason but the bigger part is that it was the right thing to do. I may no longer be a monk but I still walk the path as much as I can. No one should be sealed without consent unless they have proven themselves criminals. You committed no crime besides being born. I will not stand by and see anyone enslaved for something like that." The jinchuruki said seriously.

Hanabi detected no lie in his voice...this person was completely honest. Naruto did do things just because they were right thing to do. Hanabi had lost her sister and father but she had gained a brother who would always stand by her...not a fair trade by any stretch but not the worse one she could have had. The young girl decided to ask one last thing to decide whether or not she would accept being a Namikaze.

"Oh...so then you're my big brother" The new Namikaze said quietly. If Naruto acted like he hated the idea or loved it too much she wouldn't accept it. You had to work to be her new family dammit!

"In a legal sense and hopefully in a family sense as well. I like the idea of having a little sister. But this is all pretty new to you so we'll take it slow, you can call me whatever you like Hanabi-chan. Come on let's get you settled in" Naruto sensed the test and answered it as best he could. Seeing his sister's huge smile he guessed that he had passed.

"Hai Nii-chan" the smiling girl said. And the two went off exploring.

**Team Ten training grounds (3 hours later)**

"Arrghhh where is he!" A frustrated Ino shouted as she fell of the balance beam again. The two genin had been doing the physical training Naruto had outlined yesterday and it was brutal.

"He had to take care of something from what the messenger bird said. Now calm down and do your katas like you were told to." The senbon chewing jonin said with an exasperated tone.

"We've been doing these damn katas for hours" the young blond girl said.

"Ino-san please control yourself. I am sure Naruto has a good reason for being late." The Aburame said. As and Aburame, Shino believed in logic and controlling your emotions, something that his team mate had trouble doing.

"I do" The jinchuruki said with a smile. Arriving with his staff out and looking like he was expecting an attack.

"Where were you?" The purple clad girl asked, remembering to be calm at the last minute.

"I was getting my new sister settled into her home and claiming my heritage." The blue eyed boy said. His eyes shining with mirth

"Didn't know you had a sister...or a clan" Genma said resisting the urge to rub his temples. He felt a head ache coming on.

"Err; guess I should tell you all everything." The former monk said with a sweat drop. _'Ino already knows about the Kyuubi and so does Genma-san. Shino deserves to know about it and they all should know who my father is. Not like it'll be kept quiet anyway'_ the blond boy thought with sigh.

"Please do" The bug use said speaking for all of them.

"Well Genma-san and Ino-chan already know about what I really am so in fairness I'll tell you as well. 13 years ago the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, you were told it was killed by Yondaime. That is a lie humans do not have the power to kill one of the great demons outright. Yondaime choose a different path to protect the village he sealed away the Kyuubi inside of me. The reason he choose me is because Yondaime wouldn't ask anyone else to give up a child when he had one himself. I am the Jinchuruki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune and the son of Minato Namikaze" The former monk said with a great deal of formality.

"So that is all?" Shino said without visible reaction.

"That still doesn't explain how you have a sister!" the other member of team Genma said.

"I adopted Hanabi Hyuuga into my clan in order to prevent the use of the caged bird seal on her. In order to make it stick I had to tell people who my father was." The jinchuruki said with regret.

"Great just great you know that now we have to train till we all drop. Iwa and Kumo are not going to be happy and when they aren't happy people tend to die." The senbon chewing jonin said rubbing his forehead. He did not need this bad enough he had the Yamanaka and Aburame heirs now he had the last Namikaze too.

"I agree Genma-san. Ino, Shino there no longer time to prepare you through using styles...you will learn to fight the way I did." Naruto said.

"How was that?" The blond girl said frankly scared by the dead expression on Naruto's face.

"By having Brother Zhou trying to kill me, prepare yourselves I will not hold back." The former monk said.

"What?" Ino got out right before a spinning kick threw her away into a tree. The former monk was relentless as he attacked his team mates again and again. Slowly almost imperceptibly they improved despite the weights and seals working against them their speed, perception and instincts grew.

"Alright that's enough for today" Genma said after several hours. _'Damn what do these teach these monks?'_ The jonin wondered. Naruto had rather than using the nerve and pressure point strikes he normally did had slipped into a more brutal style focused on external damage it helped the learning process.

"Owwww" came the moan from Ino she had received a lighter assault then Shino but she could still feel the bone jarring hits.

"How hard is it to defeat Naruto? It's near impossible to drain him using my Kikai and beating him in tai-jutsu is out of the question" The bug user said out loud. He had bruises in places that he hadn't thought could bruise.

"Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu" Genma said, trapping the former monk in the ground.

"What the?" The blond boy said looking around he couldn't move. Why had his sensei trapped him like this?

"It isn't too hard to defeat Naruto as long as you don't play to his strengths. Right now your both too specialized to take him on because he naturally counters both of your specialities. Now Naruto do you know why I trapped you in the earth?" The senbon chew jonin said.

"To show why nin-jutsu is useful?" The former monk said nonplussed.

"To teach you humility!" Genma shouted. This kid didn't think normally at all the jonin realized.

"Why didn't you say so?" The jinchuruki said still confused.

"I swear you three will be the death of me." The brown haired jonin said with a sigh.

"Sensei shouldn't we get him out of there?" Ino asked. True Naruto had hurt them both but he was still a team mate and it had been with the best intentions

"Nahh let him figure it out. You two head home. Meet here tomorrow for more training and maybe a mission" The senbon chew jonin said and shushined away. The two non-buried genin looked at each other and with a shrug left the training ground.

"Hey I still have to get food for me and Hanabi-chan!" The former monk shouted struggling to get out of the ground. Unfortunately Genma had reinforced the ground with chakra and there wasn't enough room to move and wiggle his way out. There was barely enough room to breathe.

"Hello Naruto-kun" An unassuming man with brown hair and leaf head band said.

"Hi umm...could you get me out of here?" The blond asked this new man something seemed off about him not in any negative way. Just different from the normal shinobi _'His aura it's like those with bloodlines but it seems...fake somehow. How does one create a fake bloodline?'_ The blue eyed boy wondered.

"Certainly, I am Yamato by the way." The smiling man said and used a doton jutsu to force Naruto out of the ground.

"So you are the one Master Sarutobi sent?" The jinchuruki said with a questioning look.

"I am here are my orders to prove who I am. If you ever need to have me prove who I am ask me to perform a mokuton jutsu. As far as I know they are completely unique to me and the First Hokage." The tree user said.

"Hai thank you. Now let us get some groceries." Naruto said with a smile. _'That explains it mokuton is one of lost chakra natures not usable outside of a bloodline, but I don't remember the Shodai having any kids strange. Could he have been hidden away like me? No if he is a jonin then he's obviously strong enough to defend himself now...and the village wouldn't throw away a bloodline like that. So the question is how did he obtain the ability to use mokuton? Even monks have trouble using that chakra nature. _The blond thought with a frown. The two walked in silence for a while

"You're wondering how I gained the ability to use mokuton."The jonin said with a smile.

"If it's not too much trouble to explain, I have heard that it is possible to learn one of the lost chakra natures, buts it requires a degree of mastery that takes decades to achieve." The jinchuruki asked politely.

"I received my ability thanks to an experiment by Orochimaru I was the only one to survive out of 50 test subjects. Now what do you mean 'lost chakra natures?'" Yamato asked curious. The Hokage had said that the blond was a treasure trove of archaic knowledge and he was always curious about his artificial bloodline.

"When chakra was first discovered there were 4 types for humans: Wind, Water, Fire and Earth. The true genius of the Rikudo Sennin was the ability to combine these 4 natures into 4 new natures Ice, Lightning, Magma and Wood depending on how one combined the natures. He also passed this on to other people. As time went on people developed instinctive use of Lighting so much so that it became the 5th normal chakra however the ability to use magma, ice and wood became more and more restricted to the point that only those with bloodlines could use those chakras effectively. With the destruction of those clans they became the lost chakra natures. Although I have heard that with sufficient mastery one can recreate these chakras" The blond said with a sort of ironic chuckle, he knew all about chakra but couldn't even use 2/3rds of his available chakra. The holy chakra drove him insane and the demonic chakra destroyed his body...and using both at once would kill him.

"How do you know all of this?" The mokuton user asked surprised at the detailed description. It contradicted established knowledge but it did explain some things.

"The monastery has records of many things and to improve our control we learned the history of chakra" The whiskered genin said with a shrug.

"I see, did this monastery explain why mokuton is able to repress the bijuus?" The mokuton user said half jokingly

"Demons are destruction and death incarnate by using mokuton you create life. Life naturally defeats death and creation defeats destruction so..." the blond said allowing his new friend to draw his own conclusions.

"That makes more sense than a lot of theories I've heard" the ex-ANBU said looking up at the sky for a moment.

"I think I'm going to like having you as my guard Yamato" The former monk said.

"I think I'll like being your guard." The man known as Yamato said with a smile.

A/N: That's a wrap...So this is my explanation of chakra in the Naruto verse and part of how monks train. (I am aware of crystal jutsus but I'm going to say that it doesn't exist outside of filler). Any comments or constructive critiques are helpful. I'm still looking for a new beta. Next: Hanabi discovers it's not all fun and games being a Namikaze, Naruto and Co get a c-rank and Hinata deals with the fallout from the elders.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own squat, besides my OC's. And you guys are welcome to them.

"Talking"

'_Thinking'_

**Kyuubi/inner Sakura **

**Scene change (time)**

**Hyuuga Compound**

"Hinata Hyuuga, do you have any idea what you've done?" One of the elders asked. After some investigation the council had determined that Hinata had been the one to spirit Hanabi away from them and into the hands of the Namikaze. The Hyuugas had not gotten along with Namikaze who had joined around the same time as they did. The existence of a clan who through hard work and seal mastery become their equals was irritating to those who prided themselves on their blood.

"I kept a promise to my sister" The heiress replied coldly.

"You have allowed the Byakugan to fall into the hands of outsiders! The branch house members will send their children to other clans; you have insured the destruction of the clan!" The head elder said with venom.

"No I insured the destruction of your clan." Hinata Hyuuga was terrified inside but didn't let anyone see it. The emotionless mask she had cultivated was now perfect.

"It is our clan!" Another elder said shocked that the heiress would insinuate that she was not a member of the Hyuuga.

"I refuse to associate myself with a clan that would enslave my sister for no reason other than tradition! I made a promise to my sister and mother that I would never allow any of my family to be sealed. I was taught that a Hyuuga's word was irrevocable was I wrong?" The blue haired girl asked masking her fear with distaste.

"No a Hyuuga's word is his honour but what would possess you to make a promise like that knowing that the sealing was inevitable?" Hiashi asked playing the role of clan head.

"I had hoped that the council remembered my mother's words before her death. You know the ones that foretold the death of our clan if the seal was kept in use?" The heiress said. Himiko Hyuuga had indeed possessed nearly prophetic ability to predict the outcome of certain practices and had correctly predicted the outcome of the Kyuubi attack, Third Shinobi War and the Kumo incident. Her last prediction had been of the destruction of the Hyuuga.

"She was delirious!" The second elder snapped

"She was never wrong before and you all dismissed because Kami forbid you change and have to do your own work." The blue haired genin snapped back letting a little bit of her anger show.

"The Hyuuga are the strongest we cannot be destroyed" The head elder intoned.

"Then tell me why one genin was able to take on half of the branch house and force them into a stalemate?" The grim face of Hiashi said with a wry tone.

"This boy he contains something that makes him immune to our attacks." A third elder said darkly.

"No he just understands taijutsu better than anyone save a taijutsu master" The clan head said shaking his head. What was it the Fourth had said? Oh right 'Stability leads to stagnation, stagnation to death, better to change on your own terms then be forced to change'

"What is the meaning of this Hiashi why are you defending the boy?" The second elder asked angrily. The elders weren't used to people arguing with them and didn't take to it well.

"I do not defend him nor condone what he did. However I have study some of his style and I tell you this none of one here save me or my departed brother can face that boy in taijutsu and win." Hiashi said solemnly. There was a reason why the Hyuuga's had always tried to get Monks to train them.

"Father if I could explain I have sparred him many times and understand a little of his style" The heiress spoke up.

"Go ahead" The clan head said after a moment.

"The Namikaze uses a style called ******Koutetsu Bodi (Steel Body) in essence he has a constant level of chakra flowing just under his skin in combat he uses this chakra to harden his skin to the point that it becomes steel like. This means that our Jyuuken cannot pierce it and he hardens his tenketsu even more. Combine this with an encyclopaedic knowledge of nerve strikes and pressure points you have someone completely immune to our taijutsu. To defeat him you have to use nin-jutsu or be able to overwhelm his chakra with your own and given the amount he has that is almost impossible." The blue haired girl hated telling her friends secrets like that but hoped it would chase off the elders.**

"He must be killed then we cannot allow that style to be taught" One elder screeched an impressive feat considering he was in theory male.

"You would violate the Charter just so that you do not have to change?" Asked the Clan head dumbfounded the charter had been in place since the founding of Konoha. Any clan who broke it or threatened to break it was branded for all of history as a traitor that no one could trust.

"We must maintain our superiority no matter what the cost" The head elder said with a depressing finality in his voice. Years have having what amounted to absolute power within their own domain had dulled the once razor sharp political senses they had.

"No I think this farce has gone on far enough, it is one thing to sacrifice our own for the good of the clan it is another to sacrifice the clan for our pride! Think if the Namikaze die the Hokage will use it to break us the Hyuuga will be destroyed." Hiashi actually shouted a first for him.

"Then we must co-opt the Namikaze into our own right now it only contains two members it will not be hard." Another elder said calmly.

"How? One of them has no reason to love us and the other despises us for the seal." The first elder had calmed down and was thinking rationally.

"You said you were friends with him did you not Hinata?" The head elder asked quietly.

"I am..." The heiress said not liking the tone of the elder.

"Then seduce him have his child if he is as honourable as you say he is he will marry you and the Namikaze will cease to exist." The second elder said calmly. Hinata had to fight a laugh. It was insane Naruto didn't even look at women. It was slightly irritating but at the same time, Hinata actually trusted him not to be a pervert.

"You want me to seduce a former monk....one who has never received any form of teaching on girls? He doesn't think that way to him a girl is just a person with a different body. Naruto has no inclination towards...this and that and probably won't until puberty even then he'll control it to the point where it wouldn't matter. There's just no way to let him know that you're interested short of jumping his bones and even then he'll probably assume you were drugged or something and do his best to incapacitate you and leave before anything really happens." The blue haired genin said after a moment to control her reaction.

"You're saying it is impossible to seduce him?" The first elder said.

"I was never trained to seduce anyone I am after all a Hyuuga. I do not have the ability to seduce him and even if I did I doubt I could do that to him." The heiress said sadly. If things had been different they might have had something as it was she was not going to lose the closest thing she had to a brother over the council's idiocy.

"Why is that?" Hiashi asked curious. If it wasn't for the open defiance that Naruto had given the Hyuuga he would have made a good match for Hinata.

"Because all things considered I have come to see him as a surrogate brother. It just wouldn't feel right" The pale eyed girl said in a resigned tone.

"How could you see that...individual as anything other than an enemy?" The head elder said angry that the heiress wouldn't bend to their will.

"Naruto was the first person to approach me not as Hinata Hyuuga heiress to the most powerful clan but just Hinata one more academy student. I don't have to play games with him or always worry that he's just using me that is why I trust him" The blue haired girl had a faint smile at that.

"I see tell me why does the Namikaze hate the seal so much?" The first elder had long since realized that for better or worse things had to change. There was just no way to maintain the stasis that the Hyuuga's had been locked in for years.

"From what I know, the seal was invented by his order in order to imprison people who for various reasons could not be physically contained or killed outright. It was for criminals not for the reason we use it" Hinata said coldly she like many hated the caged bird seal.

"Does he know how to remove it?" The clan head asked calmly. If the knowledge of how to remove it got out....then the main house could say good bye to the land of the living.

"I don't know, Naruto's never really talked about what exactly he does and doesn't know. Even my knowledge about the ******Koutetsu Bodi took nearly half a year to gather. I would say no given his lack of interest when it comes to seals but he probably knows someone who does" The Heiress gave an evil smile. She had promised her mother and herself that by hook or crook the Hyuuga would change.**

**"****If the branch house finds out that seal is removable then they will revolt they will not care about the consequences the chance to be free is too good to pass up." The third elder said.**

**"****What shall we do then?" The second elder asked fear in his voice.**

**"****We have a choice either we all have the seal or none of us do, those are our only options now. If we free the branch house then we will have a measure of gratitude and the branch house probably won't try to kill us. Or we all get sealed and again the branch house won't kill us for fear of retaliation." The first elder said, truth be told he had gotten tired of seeing innocent children scream in pain as the seal was applied.**

**"****I refuse to see our great clan had captive to mere fear" The oldest council member said with rage. **

**"****Fear of what? Change? You old fool for better or worse the world has changed and the Hyuuga must adapt. Our strength comes from our honour, not our traditions." The first elder said frankly getting sick of this.**

**"****I am your elder and superior you will not speak to me that way!" The oldest member shouted his voice filled with hate.**

**"****By what right to you claim superiority I have done more missions and harder ones then you have or did you forget esteemed sir which one of us became a Jonin?" The first elder asked. In truth there were not that many Hyuuga who ascended past the rank of chuunin. Jonins were required to be proficient in at least two of the three great ninja arts. Hyuuga's were masters at taijutsu but their tunnel vision prevented them from learning genjutsu or ninjutsu.**

**"****....." The old hate monger had no response.**

**"****Enough! We can all agree that for better or worse we have to change our ways. So although we have no way to remove the seal we will not put it on any more children and the use of it as a punishment tool is forbidden." Hiashi said formally putting his foot down.**

**"****We have to protect the bloodline!" The third elder shouted thankfully he had stopped screeching.**

**"****That is what we tell the masses do not insult us by saying that we need the bird seal for that." The head elder had realized that this was the end of his clan a new one would take its place.**

**"****What if Kumo tries to steal the byakugan again?" The second elder said with a confused tone not really objecting but thinking out loud.**

**"****We will ask Jiraiya to give us a proper blood seal and that will be that. Do I make myself clear?" The Clan Head said letting a small portion of his formidable KI leak out**

**"****You can't do this!" A fourth elder shouted. ****__****'Honestly since when do we Hyuuga shout?' ******** Hiashi wondered.**

**"****I ignored my wife's words once I will not ignore them again. The days of absolute power resting with the Main house are over. I will not allow this clan to be destroyed because of the council's pride." The clan head unleashed the full extent of his KI the elders all abruptly decided that yes Hiashi was right and yes they must do as the clan head demanded.**

**"****It will be as you say Hiashi-sama. However as of now we will not interact or welcome the Namikaze beyond what is required by the council. They are an anathema to all of us!" The Head elder said with a finality that was unstoppable. Declaring a clan anathema was once step short of open clan war and in essence meant that the two were in cold war where each clan tried to get one up on the other .The Uchiha had declared one against the Senju during the Nidaime's reign and it had ended with the virtual eradication of the Senju. Which in turn had led indirectly to the destruction of the Uchiha but not many knew or realized that.**

**"****Understood. Hinata outside of formal team training and missions you are not to go near the Namikaze" Hiashi said to his daughter.**

**"****Hai father...May I be excused?" The heiress asked. She had to be strong no tears not yet not until she was away from the compound.**

**"****You may" The grim faced Hyuuga's face softened. Given how close the two had been he knew that he just hurt his daughter very badly. ****__****'As much as I would like to have the Namikaze as allies they have gone against us and I have to give the elders something. Sorry my daughter.'******** The words are thought but they will never pass his lips. It is not the way of the Hyuuga's to discuss feelings.**

**Namikaze Compound**

**"****So Ni-chan what am I supposed to do all day?" Hanabi asked off handily as they ate dinner.**

**"****......meditate?" The blond said after a moment.**

**"****With all due respect Naruto-kun I do not think an eight year old girl would want to spend the entire day meditating" Yamato said with a sweat drop.**

**"****I have nothing to say to that I meditated all day when I was her age" The former monk said partly to himself.**

**"****You were training to be a monk" The mokuton use pointed out.**

**"****Good point. Alright Hanabi-chan what do you want to do?" Naruto asked his sister.**

**"****......" Unfortunately Hanabi didn't have an answer for that.**

**"****That was helpful" The jinchuruki said.**

**"****You could always send her to the academy" Yamato said with a laugh.**

**"****I'd rather wait until I know how angry the Hyuuga's are at me and Hanabi" The blond said quietly.**

**"****They won't do anything overt..." The ex ANBU said with a frown.**

**"****Yes but I get the feeling that subtlety is one of their strong points" The former monk said. Honestly he hated this political stuff but he had promised his friend that he would help and besides...Hanabi needed to be taught how to defend herself both physically and spiritually.**

**"****There is also the matter of ROOT" The mokuton user said still frowning.**

**"****What?" The new Namikaze asked.**

**"****In theory it is a disbanded section of ANBU but there are rumours that it still exists. If they do they will try to use this situation to their advantage." The ex ANBU said in distaste Danzo although at one point necessary to the village had become more trouble than he was worth in his opinion.**

**"****If only there was a way for me to stay here and train Hanabi while I went on missions!" The former monk said shaking his head. That made Yamato think for a moment yes the kage bunshin jutsu was forbidden but only because of the risk of chakra exhaustion given his ward's immense chakra levels that wasn't too much of an issue in this case.**

**"****Tell me Naruto-kun do you know the shadow clone jutsu?" The mokuton user asked a sly smile creeping across his face.**

**"****I only know the basic clone jutsu" The blond said looking at his guard.**

**"****The Kage Bunshin no jutsu allows the use to create physical flesh and blood clones. Given your enhanced chakra capacity I believe you can make better use of this jutsu than anyone else can. If you would let me I'll show it to you so that you can indeed be in two places at once." The brown haired man said smiling.**

**"****Thank you Yamato-sensei" the jinchuruki said with a bow.**

**"****I'm just a body guard. Come on let me show you the seals" Yamato said as he began to teach them how to make a Kage Bunshin**

**Council Room (3 days later)**

**"****I will not accept this individual as the son of Yondaime!" Hibana Haruno screeched. The council had been convened on what to do now that the heir of the Namikaze had been found. It was not going well.**

**"****As opposed to what Haruno a shape shifter that magically has the Yondaime's DNA?" Asked Chouzu Akimichi laconically he had gotten tired of the civilian half of the council railroading things in circles.**

**"****Calm down all of you. The blood seal evidence is irrefutable Naruto Uzumaki is in fact a Namikaze and thus clan head of the Namikaze. Which means that he can buy and sell half of Konoha at whim if he wished; now all of you stop your stupidity!" The Third Hokage said allowing a small fraction of his KI to leak out. For the 'God of the Shinobi' a small fraction was equivalent to an A class ninja's entire ability to project KI. So most of the civilians began to soil themselves in response, Sarutobi suppressed a smile.**

**"****It is imperative that we make sure he is loyal to us" Koharu said formally. **

**"****Naruto is loyal to his comrades and me. In his words he has little reason to be loyal to the rest of Konoha" The Sandaime said quietly. Maybe this would make the civilians realize just how badly they had messed up.**

**"****That is treason!" The Haruno member screamed her inner persona having fought off the effects of Sarutobi's KI.**

**"****What did you expect woman? We all know what he contains and we know how he was treated would you be loyal to a village the emotionally and mentally abused you for years?" The blond haired head of the Yamanakas said with a dismissive scoff.**

**"****What do you think Hiashi?" The scarred master of Root asked with a sickly smile.**

**"****While the Hyuuga's have no love for the Namikaze we are forced by circumstance to admit that Naruto once known as Uzumaki is indeed Minato's heir. Despite this we will oppose any attempt to get him seated on the council" The grim faced Hyuuga said with scowl.**

**"****He's too young for a council seat in any event." Homura said with a shrug. He had nothing against the Namikaze boy but felt he needed a bit of seasoning before he became a councillor.**

**"****True but if he can bring the Monks of Mt. Shaoshi to Konoha it would be great." Tsume said thoughtfully.**

**"****That will not happen. From Naruto's account the monks are incredibly insular the only time you will see them as when they go on their pilgrimages. They will not fight unless they are attacked. Which is not something I'd recommend after what they did in the first war" The old Kage said with a rueful chuckle.**

**"****First war?" Chouzu asked his friend Shikaku in a low voice.**

**"****During the first great shinobi war Kumo decided that it was a good idea to attack the monks...we're not too sure what happened but the end result was the destruction of a third of their army. Since then all the major hidden villages have maintained a strict non-aggression policy when it comes to the orders." The elder shadow user said and muttered troublesome after answering.**

**"****I still do not see why you allow them to stay within our borders if they are such a threat to us" Danzo said with a chuckle just a little more and he could get Hiruzen to do something foolish.**

**"****They are not a threat unless provoked. And how do you propose we get rid of them? Yes it is likely that we would win a fight with them through superior numbers in the field. But to attack them in their own monastery is foolishness. They would devastate our forces. Now enough of this arguing. Due to the Namikaze's age he will not receive a seat until he reaches the age of majority. Until that time his seat will be held in trust by Iruka Umino. Upon reaching the age of eighteen or achieving the rank of jonin Naruto Namikaze will be allowed on to the council. We will then decide the exact fate of the Namikaze" The old kage said frankly hated all of this political bullshit ****__****'Hurry up and become the shinobi you were born to be Naruto, I'm too old for this job'******** he thought.**

**Konoha**

******Naruto had gone out with his new sister and guard for some dinner oddly not ramen. This had taken him a fair ways away from his usual haunts. On a whim he stretched out his chakra senses and found it thrown back in his face by something. This would need some investigating.**

**"****Yamato, Hanabi-chan head back home I've got to go check something" The jinchuruki said and took off looking for the source of the disturbance. **

**"****Don't worry Hanabi-chan, Naruto knows what he's doing" The mokuton user said comfortingly to the girl ****__****'At least I hope he does'******** he thinks with a frown.**

******  
"I knew that because of the Kyuubi attack Konoha would have places where the darkness lives but nothing like this" The former monk said disturbed. He had found his way into an underground complex. Unlike his compound the stench of decay and evil was omnipresent here. **

**True this place it is....calling me**

**__****Kyuubi? How are you out of the seal?**

**I'm not but the darkness here it strengthens our connection enough so that you can hear me.**

**__****Well....truce until we figure this place out? Even your chakra doesn't feel this evil**

**I'd take that as an insult but your right, this place it is infested with demonic chakra almost as if....**

**__****There was a gathering of demons or possessed people here. Not too long ago from the feel of the place**

**That doesn't make any sense. Your kind wiped out most of us during the war**

**__****I know but I'm only saying what it feels like **

******Walking into a large chamber the former monk felt physically sick. There was an altar with children's skeletons scattered around it. Four pillars supported the roof.**

**__****Those monsters, they killed children to.....**

**Summon me...so that's why I was pulled here all those years ago. I may be a demon but you hairless apes never cease to surprise me at what you do to each other**

**__****I recognize the symbols on the pillars. They were used by the dark order during the Three Saints War. But that doesn't make sense...we killed every last one of them.**

**Apparently not. For all your frailty you worms are surprisingly resilient.**

**__****I must get out of here and inform Master Wu. This place is beyond my skill to cleanse.**

**You can cleanse my chakra but you can't heal this place you worthless monkey?!**

**__****The channel by which I cleanse you is already in place. There is nothing here for me to work with; I cannot create light without a flame.**

**"****I-is someone there?" A voice called. It was Sakura.**

**"****Hai keep talking and I'll find you" The blond said and reached his senses out despite the strain of fighting off the malevolence of the room.**

**"****Naruto what are you doing here?" The pink haired genin asked her curiosity overcoming her fear.**

**"****I sensed the darkness here and went to investigate." The former monk said calmly.**

**"****Please get me out of here before they come back" Sakura begged as her terror came back full force****__**

**"****They?" the whiskered boy said as he found his comrade chained to the wall. She had been beaten and from the looks of it not for the first time. Concentrating his strength Naruto snapped the chains and caught the pink haired girl.**

**"****The people who did all this" the girl whispered.**

**"****We'll talk about it later after we get out of here okay?" Naruto said softly.**

**"****I'm afraid that won't be possible boy" A black robed figure said from behind. Naruto recognized the robes they were from the dark order the ones had been the catalyst for the Three Saints war.**

**"****You....how? You were all destroyed in the war" The blond said in shock. In truth there were records of the Three Saints war and the former monk knew the true history but was forbidden to speak of it unless the Dark Ones returned. The version he had given his friends was the official one but not the real one.**

**"****Fool it's been millennia since the war we hid and waited until the orders became weak. Now we will rise again and this time the saints will not be able to stop us!" The figure said cackling.**

**"****You were defeated once it will happen again" The former monk said shifting Sakura on to his shoulders.**

**"****Humph prepare yourself boy it's time to die" The robed man said and attacked.**

**"****Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called and a dozen clones sprang into existence.**

**"****Hold him off while I get Sakura-san out of here" The blond commanded.**

**"****Sure thing master Naruto" The lead clone said as they began to attack the figure. The figure grimaced he hadn't counted on this. The boy was only moderately skilled but his clones weren't trying to win merely buy time and they could do that.**

******Naruto moved as quickly as he could, speed was his only hope here not stealth. Sakura for her part was scared but slightly annoyed at how she was being carried like a sack of potatoes.**

**"****Curses he's destroying my clones faster then I'd hoped." The blond said as he ran towards the exit.**

**"****What you're not going to let him get us are you??" Sakura said still terrified. Naruto, shook his head what had they done to her?**

**"****There's the exit. Hold on" The jinchuruki said as he made a flying leap through the entrance into the air.**

**"****So that's where this passage goes." Naruto said looking around the academy grounds**

**"****We've escaped? I'm free?" The green eyed girl asked not daring to believe it.**

**"****For now although that robed man...he worries me"The former monk said with a frown. Irony being what it is the robed man arrived at that moment.**

**"****You've annoyed me boy but not it's time for you to---URKKK" The robed man gurgled and died as a tree root impaled his chest.**

**"****Yamato-sensei, how nice of you to arrive." The blond said allowing a little sarcasm to seep into his words.**

**"****It was rather difficult track you. You know your sister's worried sick." The mokuton user said with an exasperated face.**

**"****I'll apologize later we have to get Sakura-san to the hospital and talk to Master Sarutobi" Naruto said firmly.**

**"****Don't leave me alone!" The pink haired girl said a grabbed a hold of her rescuer.**

**"****....." The jinchuruki was taken aback by her response.**

**"****She seems rather attached Naruto-kun" Yamato said with a chuckle**

**"****I think she's still afraid of being taken back to that place." The blond said with a grimace**

**"****What place?" The mokuton user said taken aback. The hatred Naruto apparently harboured for some place was immense.**

**"****I will not speak of that until we see Master Sarutobi" The whiskered boy said firmly.**

**"****Let's go then." Yamato said and watched as his ward put Sakura into a piggy back position on his back.**

**"****Sakura-chan we're going to see the Hokage he'll make sure that those people don't hurt anyone anymore." The blond said kindly to the girl who nuzzled into his back.**

**"****This is strange Sakura seems to be broken..." The mokuton user said with a frown. As a favour to Kakashi he had once or twice watched her team for flaws.**

**"****If what I suspect is true then she probably is." The former monk said sadly.**

**"****You have a lot of explaining to do Naruto-kun" The Ex-ANBU said.**

**"****Hai....I never expected this when I went to investigate" The jinchuruki said with a frown. The trio made their way to the tower.**

**Hokage Tower**

**"****I don't have time for your games Chika-san I must see the Hokage!" The former monk said distressed at the interference from the Hokage's secretary.**

**"****You little brat take the girl to the hospital and then go to the Hokage" Chika said with a frown.**

**"****Right now I'm afraid to let her out of my sight." Naruto said.**

**"****Chika send them in. Call for a medic, if Naruto doesn't want to take her to the hospital I'm sure he has a good reason" The old kage interrupted the argument.**

**"****Thank you Master Sarutobi" The blond said with a bow. Which was impressive considering Naruto still had someone on his back.**

**"****Brat" The secretary grumbled.**

**"****Chika-san please can't we be friends?" The blue eyed boy asked trying unsuccessfully to use the puppy eyes technique he heard young kids used.**

**"****No" Chika said un-amused.**

**"****Just thought I'd ask." The former monk said with a shrug as the trio walked into the Hokage's office.**

**"****So Naruto care to tell me why you're holding Sakura and what happened to her?" Sarutobi asked seriously. He knew Sakura to a degree, highest book marks in the class but considered subpar at the rest of it. Still this girl looked broken.**

**"****As you know as a monk and because of my burden I'm more sensitive to things of a spiritual nature. Konoha still has deep scars from the Kyuubi attack and I have gotten used to sensing that. However when Yamato, Hanabi-chan and I went to a different part of the village I sensed something darker then the Kyuubi. I went to investigate. What I found...is something that I had thought impossible." The blond said and took a deep breath.**

**"****Ages ago before the time of the Rikudo Sennin there were four orders of what we now call monks. These orders became the pillars of a true world government working in concert they kept the land at peace. Yet the darkness with in all men corrupted one of these orders. Believing that they were earthly gods the fourth order released demons upon the lands and attempted to conquer the world. The other three orders united and resisted led by three men who became known as Saints. After a long and bloody war these Saints managed to destroy the Dark Order and according to the scrolls seal most of the demons away. Yet I found evidence that the Dark Order still lives." Naruto said with a frown.**

**"****The Dark Order, I understand the name but what do you mean they still live?" The mokuton user asked with a confused expression**

**"****My order is not proud of what happened in the Three Saints War. To prevent it from ever reoccurring we eradicated the entirety of the fourth order killing every last member we could find and we believed that we had got all of them. Or so we thought. I found a large cavern it had a sacrificial alter and the symbols that the Dark Ones used to control and summon demons. Thankfully most of the demons are gone." The former monk said with a wry smile**

**"****What did you mean most of the demons are gone?" Hiruzen said quirking an eyebrow.**

**"****The Saints and their followers were strong enough to defeat all but the most powerful of the demons specifically the nine tailed demons. Ichbi the Tanuki, Nibi the cat, Sanbi, the turtle, Yonbi the weasel, Gobi the wolf, Rokubi the falcon, Nanabi the bear, Hachibi the ushi-oni and Kyuubi the fox all managed to defeat and escape the sealing attempts of the Saints. They are all that is left of the greater demons. But that is a tale for another time. More importantly there are at least two more Dark Ones out there." The blond said frowning.**

**"****Why two more?" Yamato asked. This was way above his pay grade but he was still curious**

**"****The dark order always worked in groups of three: A master, a servant and a student. Yamato killed one of them from his skill I would guess a servant." The jinchuruki said with a grimace.**

**"****So we have two members of an organization that your order fought a war to destroy running around Konoha is that what I'm hearing?" The old Kage asked resisting the urge to rub his temples**

**"****It is Master Sarutobi. I can probably defeat the student but the Master is beyond my skill. We must get word to Master Wu. I need help besides that alter needs to be cleansed of the innocent blood spilled" The blue eyed boy gave a shudder at the memory.**

**"****Innocent blood?" Sarutobi asked. Somewhere deep down he knew he didn't want to hear the answer to his question but had to ask anyway.**

**"****That alter it had been used for Human sacrifice. Specifically children from the skeletons I found. Blood has power particularly innocent blood and there are few things more innocent than a child" The former monk said looking down.**

**"****What why would anyone do that?" The old kage said visibly sickened. It was thing to ask children to fight to teach them to kill. He hated that but it was necessary. But to kill kids just because one needed to power some jutsu. It was beyond the pale.**

**"****This is just a guess on my part but I believe they were summoning the Kyuubi to the village so that the demon would be sealed and my father slain." Naruto said getting control of himself and resuming his normal calm tones.**

**"****You mean the Kyuubi was forced to attack Konoha?" The mokuton use asked a bit disturbed if someone could force a demon as powerful as the Kyuubi into submission what else could they do?**

**"****Forced? no. If it had truly wanted to the Kyuubi could have fought the compulsion but for all its intelligence the demon is an arrogant thing it probably didn't believe it could be defeated." The blond said.**

**"****So how do we send word to your Master Wu? No one in Konoha knows how to get to Mt. Shaoshi besides you." The Sandaime said slipping into his role as leader of the village.**

**"****Your right. What if you sent me on a mission?" The jinchuruki said with a quizzical look.**

**"****Yes a courier mission it would be c-class simply because of its urgency. That would work the council wishes for me to open talks with the Monastery anyway. Yamato given the nature of this mission I'm going to ask you to back Genma up along with the rest of team 10" The grandfatherly Kage said.**

**"****Hai Hokage-sama. However what about Sakura-san?" The ex-ANBU normally wouldn't care too much about one genin but in this case he made an exception.**

**"****I'll have Inoichi take a look hopefully he can help her." The Sandaime said with a sad smile.**

**"****I don't want Naruto to leave...." The pink haired girl spoke for the first time since entering the tower.**

**"****Sakura-chan I have to leave so I can make sure that these people are stopped. Don't worry I know the Hokage will protect you." The former monk said kindly and gave the girl a reassuring hug.**

**"****Promise?" Sakura asked quietly.**

**"****You have my word" The blond said putting to rest Sakura's worries. **

**"****What worries me is that Sakura should've been able to get to this state. It takes time to break people and it there hasn't been enough time since I saw her this morning." The old kage said with frown.**

**"****I believe that Sakura was far more fragile than anyone thought. If you look at her body you will see that this isn't the first time she has been hurt." The former monk said still holding Sakura.**

**"****Your right....I'll have some of my ANBU investigate this. Something doesn't feel right but I can't put my finger on it." Hiruzen said with a frown as he lit his pipe.**

**"****What do you mean Hokage-sama?" Yamato asked.**

**"****It's all seems too convenient, you finding this place now and not before. Finding Sakura, you escaping. If I didn't know better I'd say someone set this all up." The Sandaime said puffing his pipe.**

**"****I can't explain that Master Sarutobi but I also need someone to look after Hanabi-chan." The Namikaze heir said with a small smile.**

**"****Put her in your apartment I'll have team 8 watch her." Sarutobi said feeling better despite all the gloom their conversation had created. Naruto still put his people before anything else. ****__****'You'll make a fine Kage boy.'******** The Third thought.**

**"****Thank you Master Sarutobi. I'll take Sakura-chan to Ino-chan's place by your leave" Naruto said and began to walk out of the office. The Hokage wrote down some orders for Inoichi on a scroll and tossed it to Yamato.**

**"****Take this scroll. It'll inform Inoichi of the situation. The medic will be by tomorrow" Hiruzen said. The ex-ANBU nodded and gave a salute.**

**"****Thank you Master Sarutobi." The blond said as they left.**

**Yamanaka Residence (10 pm)**

**"****Naruto what are you doing here?" Inoichi asked as he opened the door.**

**"****It's a long story. This scroll should explain everything" The mokuton user said handing a scroll to the blond jonin. Inoichi read the scroll nodded and brought them inside.**

**"****Hmmmm, well I don't have any missions besides this one. I can do a mind walk tonight" The Yamanaka head said calmly. **

**"****Daddy what's going on?" The purple clad girl had heard the noise and had. Left her room.**

**"****Nothing go back to bed princess" The blond haired jonin didn't want Ino to see her former friend like this.**

**"****Is that Naruto and Sakura?" The young mind walker ignored her father's attempts to get her to go back to bed.**

**"****Yes." Yamato spoke up not bothering to introduce himself.**

**"****Kami what happened to Sakura?" The blond girl ran over to her former friend who was still clutching Naruto.**

**"****I'm not too sure but if I were to guess she was beaten multiple times and Kami knows what else. Right now she's for lack of a better term broken." The former monk said sadly.**

**"****Who?" Ino said trembling with rage.**

**"****I don't know who they were. I have an idea as to what they are but not their identities. I'll explain on tomorrow's mission." The jinchuruki said knowing that Ino needed to calm down before he explained who or what this new threat was.**

**"****When we find them I am going to kill them" The young mind walker said with an icy tone usually reserved for when a mother finds out that their child has been hurt by someone else.**

**"****I do not believe in vengeance. However I will help you these people need to be stopped and I don't believe they will short of death." The whiskered boy said with a soothing voice. Vengeance just led to an endless cycle of death, he would have to work hard to prevent his friend from suffering that.**

**"****...Me and Sakura have drifted apart but I'll be damned if I let my friend suffer like this." Ino said and began to slowly disentangle Sakura from her friend.**

**"****I believe that your father is going to use your clan's skill to try and heal her mind." The ex-ANBU said helpfully.**

**"****The Haruno's ability is going to give me trouble though" Inoichi said with a frown.**

**"****What?" The younger mind walker knew that only training or having a second mind could really stop their clan's abilities.**

**"****Harunos are always more prone to Split Personality Disorder than the rest of the population even ninja. Who tend to have psychological problems up the yin yang. However given Sakura's condition. Odds are that she has fully developed alternate personality. This Alternate tends to react violently to other things being in their hosts mind." The elder mind walker explained patiently. **

**"****So you need someone to fight this thing off?" The former monk asked.**

**"****If Ino was a little more skilled yes but as it is this is going to take a long time. Probably multiple sessions" The blond jonin said with a frown.**

**"****I fight a malevolent demon lord every day, get me into her mind and I will take care of this alternate" The whiskered boy said ****__****'A monk or any good man must do everything in his power to help others...'******** Master Wu's words came back to the boy unbidden.**

**"****What are you talking about?" Everyone except Ino stared at the whiskered boy confused.**

**"****I was trained as a monk not for fun but rather for me to finish the job my father started and finally kill the demon by purifying its chakra. By talking the chakra and forcibly converting it" The former monk looked a little sheepish under the stares from the jonin present.**

**"****I thought the seal did that" Yamato commented.**

**"****It does but only into normal human chakra, which can be corrupted again and once it is corrupted the fox would have been reborn. My method purifies the demonic chakra into holy chakra and by doing so destroys the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi fights me every step of the way during this so I have some skill at mental combat." The jinchuruki said with a small sigh. Tonight he'd have to skip out given everything else he couldn't afford to be at anything less than his best.**

**"****You sure?" Inoichi asked he knew how to put other people into some one's mind but there was rarely any point only Yamanaka's and apparently monks trained in extensive mental warfare.**

**"****A wise man once said 'If you truly want to do good in this world then you must help others' I am following that saying." The former monk said with a quiet determination.**

**"****Alright...let's go" The elder mind walker said and placed his hands on Sakura and Naruto.**

**Sakura's mind**

**"****Well this was unexpected" Inoichi said. Sakura's mind was a black plane with three crystal shards in the middle. Most minds were like buildings or natural places and blank mind was indicative of a complete psychotic break.**

**"****Can you fix it?" The younger blond asked worriedly. His own mind was usually a grassy field before he changed it into a featureless plane in order to protect it from the fox.**

**"****I think so. These three shards represent Sakura's personality. Fusing them together will take time keep me covered." The elder mind walker said and got to work.**

**Cha! Get out of my head you bastard! ********An enraged avatar of Inner Sakura screamed and launched a punch towards Naruto. The former monk dodged. The punch left a crater that explained a fair bit actually.**

**"****By the light!" Naruto was forced to gasp to willing do damage to one's own psyche in order to defeat someone was insane.**

**You're like those snake fucking bastards who hurt me in the first place! ******** The inner Sakura shouted and launched a drop kick at the blond boy who again dodged.**

**"****No I'm here to help really!" The jinchuruki grimaced as the avatar summoned some sort of energy weapon and began blasting it at him.**

**You can help in Hell**

**"****You're not going to make this easy are you?" the whiskered boy sighed.**

**Die!**

**"****Last chance stop and I won't hurt you" The blue eyed boy pleaded.**

**This is my mind you can't do anything**

**"****You aren't the only one who knows how to fight in a mindscape" Naruto said and summoned a staff into his hands.**

**You think that staff is going to help you?**

**"****This may be your mind, but my will is stronger than yours" The blond boy said and slammed his staff into the avatar hard sending her flying.**

***grunt* how?**

**"****You have some skill I'll give you that. But you're about millennia too young to actually challenge me. Paralyzing palm" the former monk said blurring as he moved. Without warning he hit the avatar causing her to crumple.**

**What did you do to me you bastard!**

**"****Calm down I shut down your ability to move, as long as I don't kill you I don't have to hold back." The blue eyed boy said with a shake of his head.**

**You're not going to kill me?**

**"****I'll admit your annoying but your only doing what's natural. You can't beat me I have no real reason to kill you. Don't worry we'll be gone soon enough" Naruto said with a reassuring look**

**You really want to help don't you? There is a seal that forces the creation of me and other personalities if you destroy it your friends work will go easier.**

**"****Thank you. Where is the seal?" The former monk asked with a bow.**

**It should be somewhere on me ********Naruto soon found the seal on the back of the avatar's neck**

**"****Who would use a seal like this? Even heavily modified I can still tell that its original purpose was to forcibly express latent demonic tendencies."**

**Those black robed monkey fuckers that's who!**

**"****Err yes...hold on this might sting a bit" The blond boy was unsure how to handle this more vulgar version of Sakura.**

***Censored, Censor censored with a kunai Censored*******

**"****That's quite the vocabulary you have there, Avatar-san" The jinchuruki said surprised. Could you even do that with a kunai? Probably better not to know.**

**That hurt!**

**"****Sorry I sometimes forget that I have a higher pain threshold than most." The blond boy said sheepishly.**

**So what now?**

**"****Now? Now we wait" The former monk said sitting down.**

******Hours later Inoichi turned from his work. The crystal shards had been mostly fused together the remainder could wait another session. He saw Naruto and the avatar simply sitting together apparently playing shogi.**

**"****All done. It's the strangest thing there were at least two personalities in the smaller crystals. Normally this doesn't happen but it looks like something was forcing it. Outer Sakura seems to have been a pre-programmed personality but it's still the default for now. When the fusing finishes she'll probably change." The elder mind walker said cracking his nonexistent spine it had been hard work.**

**"****Well then let's get out of here. It was nice meeting you Avatar-san" the former monk said.**

**For a blond prick you weren't too bad.**

**"****Well glad you solved things amicably I'll be seeing you in the future Avatar or whatever you call yourself " The elder blond said as the two faded out of the mindscape.**

**I hope this works I really do. We can't take another beating like that last one ********the avatar said with a tremble. Created so that there would be some defences in her physical self's mind the avatar knew that right now she was incredibly fragile one more hit, one more trauma and she wouldn't recover.**

**Yamanaka residence (3 hours later)**

**"****All done?" The wood user asked as he looked up from the wall he had been resting against. Ino had drifted off to sleep on the couch.**

**"****Not quite but she's healed to the point that she can be left alone for a little while." The elder mind walker said. **

**"****We have to go now but tell Sakura-san I'll see her before I leave tomorrow" The former monk said bowing as he made his way to the door.**

**"****Where are you going?" The blond jonin kept his ear pretty close to the ground when it came to his daughter's team and hadn't heard anything.**

**"****Lord Hokage wishes to hold a discussion with the Abbot of Naruto's monastery. Naruto and team 10 are being sent as ambassadors." The ex-ANBU said with a shrug. **

**"****Alright then. See you around Naruto, shinobi-san" Inoichi said.**

******The two nodded and left. It was only afterward that Inoichi realized he had left his daughter alone with a man whose name he didn't even know for three hours. Making for one very irate father.**

**Namikaze compound**

**"****Ready to go back the monastery Naruto-kun?" The mokuton user asked.**

**"****Even if I wasn't I still have to do this. My own feelings don't matter when something like this is at stake" the blond grimaced.**

**"****Why are you so...terrified of this Dark Order?" Yamato found it unnerving the way that this boy who otherwise had enough confidence to fill an ocean seem so scared.**

**"****Do you know how many died in the Three Saints War? 50 billion, most of those casualties came from the dark order killing civilians to power their dark arts. I cannot allow that to happen to Konoha" The former monk said fists clenching.**

**"****Guess we're lucky you came back ehh?" The brown haired guard said with a smirk.**

**"****Truthfully, Master Sarutobi is right there is something more just on the edge of my perception. Hanabi-chan asleep?" Naruto asked to get this conversation on a different topic.**

**"****Yeah I put her to bed before I went to get you" The mokuton user said with a shrug.**

**"****We'll move her in the morning. Right now we both need rest." The blond said it was a long way to Mt. Shaoshi after all.**

**"****Night Naruto-kun" Yamato said and went to his room.**

**"****Night Yamato-sensei" Naruto replied as the ex-ANBU left.**

******A/N: And there we go. Bet you all thought I was going to be redoing the wave mission. This will probably be one of the few original arcs I have in this story. Don't worry things will stay sort of the same. Thanks for the reviews and for reading. Next: Return to the monastery, Sakura pulls herself together and the Hyuuga sisters 'bond'**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

"Talking"

'_Internal monologue'_

**Scene Change (time)**

**Namikaze Compound**

"Time to get up Hanabi-chan," Naruto said, gently shaking his adopted sister.

"Ni-san?" the young girl's eyes flew open and she sat up.

"Good morning Hanabi-chan," the blond said with a smile.

"Where did you go?"

"Like you I am sensitive to spiritual things. I sensed something and went to take a look. What I found kept me from coming home till fairly late," the former monk said placating his sister.

"What did you find?" the pale eyed girl asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Something I had believed dead. Just as there are good monks there are bad ones as well. I met one of the bad monks," Naruto answered with a shrug.

"Did you win?" the girl asked, a little scared by how serious her new brother sounded.

"No, Yamato stopped him," the blond answered, giving an involuntary shudder as he remembered what had happened the day before.

"Oh..." Hanabi looked down. Besides her father and Yamato, Naruto was the strongest person she knew. Knowing that he hadn't been able to defeat it scared her a lot. Wanting to offer some comfort she looked up at him.

"As much as I hate it I have to leave you alone for awhile." The former monk didn't pick up on this.

"Why?" the pale-eyed girl asked with a frown.

"I have to return to Mt. Shaoshi to seek out the assistance of Master Wu," the jinchuruki said formally.

"Oh..." Hanabi's training meant that she couldn't show how sad it made her to see him go.

"However, the Hokage has arranged it so that your sister and her team will take care of you while I'm gone," the blond said with a smile.

"Really? I'll get a chance to see my sister?" the black haired girl asked, stammering for the first time ever.

"If all goes as planned, yes," Naruto said, his smile getting bigger.

"Thank you!" the pale eyed girl shouted, and giving a bear hug to the blond.

"Easy, sister. Come on, Yamato's making breakfast," the jinchuruki said, standing up. Hanabi nodded and followed her brother into the kitchen.

"Hello," the mokuton user said, flipping a pancake.

"Hey Yamato-sensei, ready to leave?" Naruto called.

"I am. Does Hanabi-chan know what is happening?" the ex-ANBU asked.

"I do," the pale-eyed girl answered as Yamato finished a stack of pancakes.

"Good, have some pancakes," the wood user said, and handed them each a plate.

"What are these?"Hanabi asked.

"They are something I learned to make in ANBU. They're quick and easy and go well with syrup," Yamato said giving a smile.

The trio consumed their food quickly and made their way to the tower. Naruto made a clone and sent Hanabi to his apartment.

**Hokage Tower**

"Team 10 reporting for duty," Genma said.

"Very good. I'm entrusting you with a C-class mission. You are to go to Mt. Shaoshi. Your goal is to open negotiations with the monks there," the Hokage said calmly.

"Hokage-sama aren't the monks strictly isolationist?" the senbon chewing jonin asked.

"They are but we're hoping that Naruto will be able to convince them otherwise. Naruto you may fully brief them on the road," the Sandaime answered.

"Hai," the former monk said, nodding.

"What do you –" Genma began.

"Later," Sarutobi interrupted. "Given the possible length of this mission Yamato here will accompany you."

"Alright, you three heard the man. Load up and meet at the gate in one hour," the bandana-wearing jonin said with a frown.

"Hai," the three genin said and left.

"Hokage-sama," Genma bowed and followed his team.

Team 10 passed Team 8 on the way and the tension between Naruto and Hinata could be cut with a knife.

"What's your problem?" Ino asked her.

"I have no problem. I do hope that the newest Namikaze is alright," the heiress said, her icy demeanor returning full force.

"She is, but she misses her sister," the whiskered boy said calmly.

"The clan had declared yours anathema. Namikaze, please do not speak to me," Hinata said, though she was crying inside at what she had to say to the boy she considered a brother.

"I understand. For what it's worth I wish this hadn't happened," Naruto said sadly.

"So do I, Namikaze, so do I," Hinata said, turning to leave. Team 8 followed her.

"That was unexpected," the bug user said, adjusting his shades.

"Naruto, are you okay?" the mind walker asked.

"I'll be fine. It is unsettling but something like this was bound to occur," the jinchuruki said calmly, not at all like someone who had just lost their best friend.

"Why don't you ever use your holy chakra?" Ino asked as they walked down the stairs. She wanted to get Naruto's mind off Hinata.

"Holy chakra destroys the mind and the soul. No human can use it without killing what makes them human. The opposite, Demonic chakra also destroys the body and can't be used without killing yourself. Both chakras react to extreme emotion: Holy to things like love, trust and joy, and Unholy to things like rage, hate, and sadness," the former monk intoned.

"Sorry, I didn't know," Ino said, contrite. Naruto was literally robbing Peter to pay Paul and both of them could kill him.

"It's not your fault. I knew what would happen when I started purifying the demonic chakra," the whiskered boy said as they walked out of the tower.

"What do you intend to do once you finish purifying the fox?" Shino asked quietly.

"I intend to release that chakra back into the world," the blue-eyed boy answered, not mentioning that doing so would most likely kill him.

"How?" Shino asked, sensing that something was off.

"Do not worry about it. It will take years for that to happen," the former monk answered, evading the question.

"Hurry up kiddies," The brown-haired jonin said. He motioned for his team to move. Shino left and Naruto, fulfilling his promise, followed Ino home.

"Naruto, why does Holy chakra destroy the mind?" Ino asked as they walked.

"That's hard to explain. Holy chakra connects you to everyone and everything in the general area," the former monk said, shrugging.

"Why is that bad?"

"Too many views. You know how it feels when dealing with one mind besides your own. Now imagine dealing with hundreds of them all shouting and talking at once. The human mind isn't designed to handle it," Naruto said with a small grimace.

"What do you mean?" the purple-clad girl said, nonplussed.

"The connections tend to overwhelm a person and kill the individual part of them. This includes emotions, thoughts, and even one's soul; they become subsumed into everyone else," the former monk said quietly.

"Kami, and you monks actively try and create this stuff?" the pony-tailed girl said in shock.

"Never in large amounts, just enough so that the shouts can be heard as a whisper. I am a unique case," the jinchuruki said calmly.

"Why not just let the seal do its work?" the mind walker asked.

"Because it's my duty. I was entrusted to stop the demon. My order fought a war to stop these demons. I will not betray that trust," the former monk said firmly.

"But won't the seal do that?" Ino asked, still confused as to why her friend was willing to risk everything.

"The seal was originally designed to convert its chakra into human chakra. Human chakra is incredibly easy to corrupt. Any of the remaining bijuu could, in theory, absorb the chakra and become a new Kyuubi. That falls under the heading of a bad thing," the whiskered boy said with a wry smile.

"Oh."

"How's Sakura?" Naruto asked.

"She's alright from what we can tell. She was sleeping when I left. But she still needs a lot of treatment. Us leaving isn't going to help that. Dad won't tell me what happened to her," the blond girl said, annoyed.

"You don't want to know," the former monk said.

"She's my friend," Ino insisted.

"Just trust me on this, there are things that you should not see," the jinchuruki said. Ino said nothing and they kept walking.

**Yamanaka Residence**

"Naruto-kun!" Sakura launched a flying tackle at Naruto as soon as her friends came inside.

"Affectionate, isn't she?" the jinchuruki asked, patting the girl on the head.

"I think she transferred her feelings for Sasuke to you," Inoichi said, shaking his head. Ino was blushing like mad.

"I can see that. How are you feeling Sakura-chan?" the former monk asked smiling to the girl.

"Good!" the pink haired girl said looking up at her rescuer's face.

"You have her hopped up on happy pills, don't you?" Ino asked, shaking herself out of her shock.

"Oddly no... her mind's reverted to a child's about age three I think," the jonin said frowning.

"That's odd. I thought we had mostly fixed her," Naruto said, his frown matching Inoichi's.

"We did but we restored her to the last time she was mentally healthy," the Yamanaka clan head said.

"By the Light...." the former monk said, shocked. Even he had been mostly alright, all things considered.

"Indeed. I'm going to do what I can to bring her back to the right mental age. That'll take time though," the jonin said with a shrug.

"You going to play with me Naruto-kun?" Sakura asked, having gotten annoyed by all the 'old people' talking.

"I'd like to but I have to go somewhere," the blue-eyed boy said, patting the girl on the head.

"But I wanna play!" she said fiercely.

"We'll play when we get back, okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto said smiling.

"Promise?" the green-eyed girl asked, looking for deception.

"I do," the former monk said, smiling as he pried Sakura off him. Ino pulled the girl up the stairs.

"Why you two here, anyway?" Inoichi asked, watching his daughter leave.

"Ino has to pack for her C-rank and I promised I would see Sakura before we left," the jinchuruki explained.

"You guys are rookies, you're too inexperienced for a C-rank," the elder mind walker said, frowning.

"We are, but Master Sarutobi wants to open up talks with the monastery I trained at. It's out of the village so it's technically a C-rank," Naruto said, shrugging.

"Monks are strictly isolationist outside of the few noble families they agree to teach," the blond jonin said. Something was off but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"They are, but I think I can convince them otherwise," the younger blond said, smiling.

"Confident, aren't you?" Inoichi said shaking his head.

"You could say that," the jinchuruki answered. Truthfully the fact that the dark order was still around ensured that the monks would act.

"Why?" the blond jonin asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"If it works I'll tell you," the blue eyed boy said.

"All ready!" Ino called coming down the stairs.

"Let's get to the gate then," the former monk said, heading out the door.

"Stay safe, princess," Inoichi said.

"I will, Daddy." His daughter nodded and gave him a hug before following her team mate.

The group met at the gate and without a word Naruto began to head north. Hours later they stopped for lunch.

"So Naruto, you gonna brief us now?" Genma asked, chewing on a ration bar.

"Yes. In truth this mission is not to open up negotiations but to ask for help," the former monk said, pulling out his own ration bar.

"What?" the senbon-chewing man asked, surprised. Konoha was the most diplomatic of the hidden villages but it still didn't ask for help often.

"In order to explain I'll have to fill you in a bit on the history of my order. Millennia ago before the time of the Rikudo Sennin the world was united under one government. This government for the most part was fair and just, it was a golden age for humanity. My order along with three other ones served as peace keepers and policemen. Yet all things must end. One of these orders, which is now called the Dark Order, turned on us.

"The reasons are unclear but they began a war with the other three orders and the world. Using a combination of Dark arts, human sacrifice and will they summoned demons to fight. The Orders united under three men who would become known as the Saints. The war was long and billions died. But in the end the Saints won and were able to defeat the Dark Order. After doing so they hunted down both the demons and the remnants. All the demons save the bijuu were sent back to their own world, and the remnants killed. At least that is what I believed until recently. However I found a member of the Dark Order and one of their altars in Konoha. I don't know how or why but stopping them is beyond my skill," Naruto said quietly.

"That's where you found Sakura isn't it?" Ino asked, her hands shaking.

"Hai. I'm not sure what they did or wanted her for but they hurt her," the whiskered boy said, concerned for both his team mate and his new friend.

"What happened to Sakura-san?" Shino asked, perplexed.

"Nothing good. Even now my father is trying to fix her," the mind walker said, slowly getting control of her emotions.

"All right people this is an A-class as of now, by my authority. Finish eating and we'll double time it to the monastery," Genma said. The rest of the group complied and took off.

**Naruto's Apartment**

"Aren't you happy Hinata?" Kiba asked. Team 8 stood outside the apartment.

"No," the blue haired girl said coolly.

"Why? You get to see your sister again," the dog user asked.

"Kiba-san, drop it," the heiress said, suppressing her irritation.

"Touchy isn't she?" the feral genin asked Chouji.

"Kiba, Hinata doesn't have a sister by clan law. With Hanabi a Namikaze and the Hyuuga family declaring the clan anathema, Hinata doesn't know what to do," Kurenai interjected.

"Oh," the dog user said. The dog for his part moaned. Why did Kiba have to be so impulsive?

"I doubt Naruto knew that or he wouldn't have set this up," the large genin frowned.

"No, he didn't. Today was the first time I talked to Naruto since I sent my sister to him," Hinata said quietly and knocked on the door. The door opened for them to see Naruto there.

"What the hell?" the feral genin asked, speaking for all of them.

"Hello, I am a clone of Master Naruto," the clone said, bowing.

"But you're substantial..." Hinata said, frowning.

"Indeed I am. Yamato-sensei was kind enough to teach Master Naruto the Kage no Bunshin Jutsu," the blond clone said smiling.

"That's a forbidden technique!" The red-eyed jonin said, surprised. That jutsu killed most people who tried to make more than one clone or ones that could last more than an hour which this one obviously could.

"Is it now? Hmm wonder why Yamato-sensei left that out. Regardless, for Master Naruto the chakra cost is not an issue," the clone said musing.

"Your reserves must be huge," Kurenai muttered quietly.

"Perhaps but please come in Hanabi-chan is meditating right now." The clone said moving out of doorway and beckoning the team in.

The team found Hanabi sitting in a lotus position with chakra occasionally flaring out of random tenketsu.

"What is she doing?" Chouji asked quietly.

"She's setting up a chakra defense to prevent possession. She is more skilled than Master Naruto had hoped. Another hour or two and she should be done," The clone answered. The Akimichi nodded.

"Chips anyone?" he said after a moment.

"Do you have a board game or anything?" Kurenai didn't like it when her team got bored.

"I believe we have shogi and chess," the clone answered and went to retrieve both games.

"Kiba and Chouji, you play shogi to work on your strategy. Hinata, watch them and give them pointers. Switch after each game. Hinata with Kiba, Kiba with Chouji and Chouji with Hinata," the genjutsu mistress said, ignoring Kiba's groan.

"What about you, sensei?" the chip-eating genin asked.

"Well I'm going to be playing chess with this clone, provided it lasts," Kurenai said nodding toward her opponent, who had returned.

"Master Naruto has given me enough chakra for the rest of the day. He wasn't sure when you would arrive," the blond said and set up the games.

"Let's play," Kurenai said and the group began. Kiba, as might be expected, was for too aggressive and lost to Chouji's more balanced style. Surprisingly Hinata lost too. Chouji, although not at the level Shikimaru was, apparently picked up a few tricks from his friend. Hinata, in turn, beat Kiba. While this was happening Kurenai and the clone played chess.

"Dammit how can a kid like you beat me?" the black haired woman muttered as the clone checkmated her.

"You rely too much on feints Kurenai-sensei. If one can see through them it isn't hard," the clone said, shaking his head.

"Nee-chan," Hanabi gave a start coming out of her meditation. Kurenai, picking up that something was about to become personal for the two, hustled everyone else outside.

"Hanabi...the elders declared the Namikaze anathema," the heiress began.

"No...." the ex-Hyuuga said softly. Anathema meant that she could never go back or be a Hyuuga again.

"They did. I thought that it would be okay, that the elders would be angry but in time allow it to settle. And then we could start being sisters again. But you know the rules for when a clan is anathema to the Hyuugas," Hinata said sadly.

"After this mission is over you can't ever see or talk to me outside of official business. Or you will be branded with the seal and expelled from the clan," the younger girl answered, her arms trembling.

"Yes...And although it's worth being exiled to be with you in my opinion, I can't fulfill Mother's dying wish if I don't take control of the clan," the heiress said.

"Nee-chan, I don't want to lose you," Hanabi said, wrapping her arms around her sister.

"I don't want to lose you either, imoto, but things have to change. I want the clan to be a family again. I want it to be okay to be a younger sibling. I don't want this ever happening again," the blue haired girl said hugging her sister fiercely.

"And that's worth it? To stop this from happening you're willing to lose me?" the new Namikaze accused into her former sister's chest.

"No, but what can I do?" Hinata asked.

"Leave," the younger girl said angrily.

"Where sister, to Naruto's? Shall I give them an excuse to do something stupid? To one of the other clans, none of which can afford to share the doom of the Namikaze? Become a missing-nin and take you with me?" the heiress asked in exasperation.

"Yes!" Hanabi shouted. Well for someone raised as a Hyuuga it was shouting for everyone else it was mild annoyance.

"No sister, I will not take you out there and I will not doom another clan because of our actions," the blue girl said shaking her head sadly.

"So you're just talk then?" The new Namikaze pouted.

"No, but Hanabi, remember what Hiashi-sama said? A Hyuuga's word is her honor. I promised mother that I would change the clan. Please just be happy with your adopted brother for now," Hinata did something her sister had never seen before, she begged. As much as she wanted to stay angry at her sister Hanabi couldn't.

"It's not the same Nee-chan. Naruto tries, he really does, and honestly I couldn't ask for better brother but..." the younger girl shrugged.

"You don't know him. He wasn't there when you skinned your first knee, had your first spar – any of it. He wasn't there. And that shows but I'm glad he's trying," Hinata said finishing Hanabi's thoughts.

"He cares though, he really does," the Namikaze said with a smile.

"That is one of things I like about him. He is an annoying, disrespectful, clueless man but all the same you can tell that he will do what's right and that he'll always help someone in need," the heiress said, her own smile returning for the first time in days.

"So what now Nee-chan?" Hanabi asked.

"Naruto's gone for the month we'll be over here every day to check on you. I'll try to spend as much time as I can with you. When Naruto returns you won't see me until he leaves again," the older girl said with a shrug.

"Are we still sisters?" the young girl asked.

"You will always be my sister and I love you dearly. I won't let this happen again and I will find a way to bring you home," Hinata promised and hugged her sister tighter. The two broke apart as the rest of Team 8 and the clone returned.

"Everything worked out?" Kurenai asked.

"Hai sensei," the heiress answered.

"Good. The clone tells me that we need to get some groceries for Hanabi here," the red-eyed jonin said.

"Naruto-kun isn't a very good cook. It's all rice, bread and other bland stuff, no meat," Hanabi commented as they all made their way to the market.

**Mt. Shaoshi (2 weeks later)**

"Fuck that's high up," Genma said staring at the massive mile-long staircase carved out of rock. In the distance one could vaguely make out some buildings.

"It's only a couple of miles, Genma-sensei. But something's wrong," the former monk felt sick as he made his way to the foot of the stairs.

"What do you mean?" Yamato asked.

"Something feels off," the jinchuruki frowned before shaking himself.

"Let's go," the senbon-chewing jonin said and the group began to walk up the stairs.

Hours later they arrived to find the monastery burned. Most if not all the buildings were destroyed. The stately pagoda at the back of the compound looked like it was sliced in half. The temple was blackened with some fires still burning.

"Naruto, what happened here?" Ino asked in shock.

"I don't know....there hasn't been a successful attack on Mt. Shaoshi in 500 years," the other blond said, his eyes wide.

"Where to, monk boy?" the bandanna-wearing jonin asked.

"The temple has an inner sanctum that cannot be breached unless you have the combination. Hopefully some of my brethren are still there," Naruto answered before making his way into the temple.

Inside the temple had been arranged a series of arches leading up to inner sanctum. Bodies were littered around, all wearing the standard robes. There had been battle here and although the wounds looked feral, no animal could have defeated a monk in combat. At the entrance to the inner sanctum they saw an old man holding the lotus position, his staff balanced on his shoulders.

"Master Wu!" the former monk said running to the old man.

"Naruto, I thought you had abandoned us." The wrinkled man opened his eyes which were a milky white showing his blindness.

"My most humble apologies Master Wu but Jiraiya was not present when I arrived. I was waiting for him and things spiraled from there," the jinchuruki babbled.

"Just like your grandfather," the blind master said chuckling.

"What happened here, Master Wu?" Naruto asked.

"The Dark Order," the Abbot answered calmly.

"No they can't be that strong," the whiskered boy said, almost desperately.

"You know that they never attack directly. No, they summoned some of the demons. We were unprepared for their numbers," the old man said quietly.

"How many dead?" Genma asked. Naruto had told them that there were nearly five hundred full monks and several dozen of the lower ranks.

"Virtually all of us. Those that weren't slain have been sent to Boddhaisti," the blind master said, his eyes closed for a second remembering the battle.

"Master Wu, I found one of their altars. There had been sacrifices recently, I should have guessed," the blond boy's voice was filled with regret.

"You came as quickly as you could and for all your skill you wouldn't have helped much with your own demon fighting you," the old master said kindly.

"I had come to ask for help in cleansing the place but now..." Naruto looked down at the floor.

"Now I entrust the war to you. The time has come for a new Saint. Beyond these doors there is another room. This one holds the records of the original Saints. Study them. Learn from them. Learn how to use Holy chakra without losing yourself. The other orders will do the same. The combination is: Dragon, Phoenix, Tiger, Tortoise, Tiger, Phoenix and Dragon. With the appropriate colors to match," the blind master said calmly.

"Why me?" the former monk asked surprised. It was a hidden dream for many monks to become a Saint.

"You have a good heart, you know the dangers, and I know that you will do the right thing. No matter what the cost," Wu explained.

"But I betrayed the order..." Naruto said frowning.

"So? Your grandfather did the same to stop a great evil, you can do no less. Take the records with you to Konoha. Learn from them and find another to teach. Remember what I taught you about mortals," the old master snapped.

"We are the weakest and yet the strongest of all beings that Kami has created. Our weakness lies in our bodies. Our strength lies in our spirit. When the two are harmonized all things become possible," the whiskered boy said quietly.

"Exactly. The Order is gone now. Our history, our techniques, all of it I am entrusting to you," the blind man said quietly.

"But Master Wu surely this can be rebuilt," the former monk pleaded.

"Led by whom? Even now I have no one who could truly succeed me. The only ones that are strong enough do not have the wisdom. And those that have the wisdom lack the strength. No, all things must pass away," Wu said calmly with faint sarcasm.

"If you feel it is for the best, Master Wu," Naruto relented.

"I do. And for what it's worth I'm glad you came back," the old Master smiled and his breathing, already slow, ceased.

"Thank you, Master Wu," the former monk said, bowing low.

"I think he's gone," Ino said softly.

"But not forgotten. I will fulfill his last wish. Kage No Bunshin Jutsu," Naruto said, summoning 50 clones.

"Give them the funeral rights," the former monk said to his clones.

"Hai," they agreed and went to work.

"We'll help you go on and retrieve the scrolls," Genma said and motioned for his team to back off.

Naruto opened the doors to the inner sanctum and made his way to the end of the room.

"Dragon, Phoenix, Tiger, Tortoise, Tiger, Phoenix and Dragon," the blond said, arranging the symbols correctly.

"Blue, Red, White, Black, White, Red and Blue," he muttered, arranging the colors in the same sequence. The door opened and Naruto walked in.

The room was small, all things considered. There was single table with three large books on it. Above the books lay an ornate yet functional staff. On the wall two satchels hung. Naruto went and picked up the satchels. One contained a set of robes. The other was empty. Shrugging, the blond put the books in the empty satchel and picked up the staff.

"Hmm it's strong, solid and still lightweight," the former monk said, hefting it experimentally. Leaving the room he began to seal all the records in a set of scrolls.

It took hours. As one might imagine there were a lot of records, but still the former monk persevered. Eventually he emerged from the inner sanctum to see Genma and Shino standing watch while Yamato and Ino slept.

"How long was I gone? And what happened to my clones?" Naruto asked. Time always seemed to flow differently in different parts of the temple.

"You were gone for about four hours and your clones are still making the funeral pyre," the senbon-chewing jonin said, idly playing with another senbon.

"Ohh...odd I'd thought that they'd be done by now," the former monk said with a mild frown.

"There were a lot of bodies, Naruto, I don't think anyone survived," the brown-haired man said quietly. Honestly this was like going to Konoha and seeing it burned to the ground, the kid had to be hurting.

"So that's why...." the blond muttered.

"What?" the bug user asked.

"Never mind Shino. Sensei I've gotten everything, we can leave as soon as the clones are finished," the whiskered boy said.

"How long will that take?" Genma asked.

"No idea. I'll have to wait for them to disperse," the former monk said, shrugging.

The trio waited and Genma told Shino to get some sleep so he could talk to his remaining student alone.

"Are you going to be okay, monk boy?" the older man asked his student.

"What do you mean sensei?" the blond said, playing dumb.

"You just found out that the people who were your first family are all dead. That's got to affect you," the brown-haired man said, frowning.

"Yes and no. I won't say that it doesn't hurt to lose my brothers and fathers. But at the same time what can I do? Death is a part of nature just as life is. And although life is stronger than death eventually we all die. I cannot bring them back; at best I can live on for them," Naruto said after a moment.

"That's a pretty mature view point," the senbon-chewing man said, slightly impressed. This kid was something else.

"Matters of the spirit are often matters of what happens after death. I was taught to never fear death but to accept it," the former monk said shrugging.

"Huh, death is but a feather, duty is a mountain then?" Genma said with a little sarcasm.

"Now where did you hear that?" the blond said, nonplussed.

"From some Samurai on a mission once. He was into this Zen stuff but I couldn't make heads or tails of it," the bandanna-wearing man said, leaning back on the wall.

"A better way of saying it is: Death is not the end but merely the beginning," the whiskered boy said, sweat-dropping at Genma's less then respectful views.

"Hmmm that's different from the norm," the man said, chewing on his senbon.

"I may no longer be a monk, Genma-sensei, but I was trained as one," the blond said, shaking his head.

"So what now? The mission's failed and we're back where we started," Genma said grumpily. He'd had perfect record for C-ranks until now.

"Not quite, but now I attempt to do something that hasn't been done since before that war I told you about," the former monk said quietly

"Become a Saint...I never understood what that meant," the senbon chewer said, looking at the ceiling.

"Saints somehow are able to use Holy Chakra without losing themselves to their surroundings. By doing so they were able to tap into something beyond us. Holy chakra, for all its draw backs, is incredibly powerful. Even a genin's worth of it would allow you to do techniques for years without worry. It also heals the body and according to the stories actually reverses aging," Naruto said after a moment.

"All that power at the expense of your mind and soul," the brown-haired man frowned.

"Yes, but more importantly you have to be truly good to use it otherwise it rejects you. And the rejection isn't pretty," the boy grimaced.

"So that's why we ninja never developed it," the jonin said, thinking out loud.

"Probably. Yamato might have been able to given his connection to life, but the dark deeds you do as you get stronger cut you off from it," the blue-eyed boy said.

"So why are you a ninja then?" Genma asked, quirking an eyebrow upward.

"It started as something to do while I waited for Jiraiya to show up. But I made friends and slowly came to love the village. I want to protect them and being a ninja was the best way to do that. Not sure if I'll keep it up though," the former monk answered.

"What do you mean?" Genma asked, getting slightly tired of always having to drag information out of the boy.

"Sensei I have to stop the Dark Order. That has to be my sole goal. Because until I or one of the other Orders does then no one is safe. They have already begun releasing demons. What happens when they move on the hidden villages?" the blond said, rubbing his eyes.

"We're not defenseless, you know," the jonin said, frowning.

"No you are not but neither do you know how to kill demons. It's not like fighting a human. They don't get tired, wounding merely triggers a berserker blood rage and humans are like candy to them," Naruto said, worried.

"So, how do you kill them?" The senbon user was a proud exponent of the 'always have a plan to kill everything you meet' philosophy.

"It depends on the demon. Usually they have some sort of focus point in the area. Destroy that and they lack the ability to make themselves physical. Otherwise seal them into something, use holy chakra on them or hit them with as many A-rank jutsus as you can," the blond said after thinking for a moment.

"Doesn't sound too hard," the brown eyed man said, chuckling. Oh your run of the mill ninja was hooped but an elite jonin like himself? He'd have a field day.

"They say the same about a lot of things don't they?" the former monk said with a shake of his head.

"Good point," Genma said with a nervous chuckle.

"Clones are done," the blond spoke as he massaged his temples to deal with the information input.

"Alright go do what you have to do, we'll head out in the morning," the Jonin sensei said quietly.

The former monk bowed and left. The flames cackled long into the night as Naruto kept a silent vigil.

A/N: Well that's a wrap. Anyways a big thank you to Tenshi no Kijutsu for agreeing to beta for me. Not a lot to say about this chapter. Next: Flight from the monastery, Deal with the devil.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto…wish I did

**Monastery Ruins**

Team 10 left the ruins in a somber mood. No one wanted to speak either out of reverence for those lost or respect for Naruto. Naruto for his part was silently praying for every one of his fallen friends.

"Shouldn't we do something?" Ino whispered to Shino.

"Namikaze-san seems to be dealing with this on his own." The bug nin replied.

"But he shouldn't" The mind walker insisted.

"What exactly do you want us to say girl? Yeah sorry your first family got wiped out and all that?" Genma whispered back.

"I don't know" The purple clad girl shrugged.

"Do not worry about me." Naruto commented from his place as advanced guard.

"Ahh but you should worry…" A figure with crow wings and a beak appeared.

"Tengu so that is how it happened. You used your powers to draw out the strongest of them into ambush with your fellows. Then you attacked and destroyed the monastery" The jinchuruki said closing his eyes.

The Tengu were some of the most cunning demons there were, only the Kitsune demons and Kappa's were considered more troublesome.

"Indeed let's dance Monk the masters do not want you to become a threat." The Tengu cackled in a screechy yet oily voice.

"So be it…" the whiskered boy said. Giving the satchels to Ino and readying his staff.

"What is going on?" Ino asked for all of them.

"Run I'll handle this demon" the blue eyed boy replied. Only the tightening of his grip betrayed Naruto's emotions which were for a monk anyway quite bloody.

"Now, now you do know that we are the reason that ninja's exist right?" the Tengu said tapping his beak.

"I thought that we got all of you" Naruto muttered

"True but we're sneaky like that" the Tengu seemed to radiate amusement.

"When ever you're ready" the former monk said calmly.

"This should prove entertaining." The demon said flapping his wings blowing the rest of the party away.

Naruto stabbed his staff in to the ground and managed to stay standing barely.

"Hmm better than expected." The Tengu smiled somehow.

"I know how to defeat your kind demon"

Naruto launched himself forward and began to attack the demon. Said demon pulled out a small fan and blocked every strike. Naruto leapt back breathing heavily.

"My my, you really do have the potential the master's fear don't you?" The demon said shaking its head.

"What?"

"Truth is that if anyone of those strikes had gotten through I would've lost" its wings stretched for a moment as Naruto shifted his weight.

"Tenchu!" the former monk called. A technique which required the use of holy chakra but not too much compared to others. Naruto felt he could risk it.

The attack consisted of focusing a small amount of holy chakra at the tip of a weapon and then impaling your foe with said tip. It's rather difficult to do with a staff but Naruto pulled it off. The Tengu was impaled in the chest.

"Hmmph well done monk but your still no match for the True Immortals" the winged being said referring to the Dark Order's original name.

"The Dark Order will be stopped one way or another…"

"One more thing Monk"

The jinchuruki gave a questioning look

"Boom"

The Tengu exploded launching Naruto backwards into a rock. Although uninjured Naruto still groaned as having an explosion in your face still hurts.

"That wasn't in the scrolls" he commented standing up. Pausing for a moment while he shook off the phantom voices from the holy chakra. _'Still safe for now but I better avoid any more techniques until U can study those books'_ Naruto thought.

Naruto looked around for signs of his team and saw none. Giving a long sigh he extended his chakra sense. And found nothing. _'This is bad I'm not the tracker Shino is…'_ the lone blond thought. But hoisted his staff and walked forward. Hoping that his team mates would be able to make their own way to Konoha.

**With Shino**

'_Naruto is…that way according to my kikai. I will have to ask him about that being a Tengu I think he called it.' _The bug ninja had found himself in a forest. How he had no idea but believed that the being had something to do with it. Problem was that unless he could find Naruto or one of the Jonin. Shino had no way to get home. Still the Aburame heir was resolute in his determination to find a way home.

**With Ino and Genma**

"Hello? Anyway one there?" Ino called out she too had landed in the forest surrounding Mt. Shaoshi

"I'm here girl so calm down." Team 10's sensei answered.

"Genma-sensei what happened"

"No clue if I had to guess…the bastards who destroyed the monastery left a rear guard." Genma pulled out another senbon to replace the one that had fallen out of his mouth.

"Do you always chew senbons sensei?" the mind walker asked incredulously.

"Yep. Now come on we'll try to find the others on the main road" the bandana wearing jonin said calmly.

Ino nodded and followed her sensei through the trees.

**With Yamato**

"So what do we have here? One little leaf ninja in our bandit camp…" a large man with a massive club sneered.

"Please I have no wish to fight you" Yamato said passively

"Hear that boys he doesn't want to fight us he's scared" the man apparently the boss of this bandit gang said.

"More like I don't have the time to waste with you" The mokuton user said with a sigh.

"What did you say?" Another bandit this one covered in leather shouted.

"I have a mission that doesn't involve you I have to go"

"The only way you're leaving here is in a body bag!" The bandit screamed.

"So be it. Mokuton: Arashi no Yari" The former ANBU said flashing through hand seals causing a storm of wooden spears to bombard the bandits.

As the wooden projectiles skewered the bandits Yamato stretched out his senses.

'_Damn…Naruto's chakra presence is just barely in range. I don't know what that 'Tengu' did but he's scattered us well enough to keep us from going directly to Konoha why?'_ It was with these thoughts that Yamato shushined away to find his charge.

**Konoha: Hidden Chambers**

"Is everyone here?" A blue robed figure wearing a faceless mask. Looking at the gathering of people all clad in different colored robes wearing faceless masks.

"Hai Master" another figure clad in red answered.

"Good lets get this thing started then. That damn Monk has forced us to accelerate our plans." Blue said with annoyance.

"Naruto's just one half trained monk he isn't a threat." Green pointed out.

"He is the jinchuruki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Without a doubt that blasted Master Wu has taught him to purify the Kyuubi's chakra." Blue answered

"No…that ruins everything." Green almost shouted.

"No not everything was ruined merely that plan. The hallmark of a superior being is the ability to adapt." Black said with a smirk in his voice.

"So how do we adapt to this Sojiro?" Grey asked. Black scowled behind his mask. It was an unwritten rule to only refer to the color a person wore during these meetings. They were not supposed to know who the other was. By saying a name Gray had reinforced his position of superiority.

"From what the reports say the boy has one fundamental weakness…" Blue commented.

A silence fell among the group as if to say go on

"He cares about people a lot. If we can tear away his emotional and social support than he has no reason to stay in Konoha once he has left we can deal with him at our leisure." Blue continued.

"What happens if he manages to get training as a saint?" Green asked

"Should that occur…then we will launch an all out assault on the boy. The saints must not be allowed to return." Blue said firmly.

"Don't you agree…Danzo?" Black asked his voice said

"I'm only working with you for the good of Konoha" Danzo or 'White' said after a moment.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Black said cynically

"That's enough both of you! White you will help Green and arrange for the monk to lose everything, his family, friends, home: everything. Black I want you to test him see just how strong this Namikaze is…" Blue cut in annoyed at his subordinates.

"Hai Master" They answered.

"Then you are all dismissed." Blue said with a wave of his hand.

The other members nodded and slipped off except for Red.

"Yes?" Blue asked after a few minutes of waiting.

"Sir White will betray us. Our hold on him isn't strong enough to keep him under control if he feels he has to choose between us and Konoha." Red said quietly.

"True…White is a trained animal. He will serve but never forget that he was free once and will do anything for that freedom. As it is he's useful enough and his little plans for betrayal are like a book to me. Don't worry Red we'll deal with him when the time is right." Blue said with a soothing voice.

"Yes sir." Red agreed.

**Flash back **

"What is the meaning of this?" Danzo shouted as a door flew backwards.

"Simple Danzo-chan if you want to live you work for me now understand?" Blue said holding two ROOT corpses.

"Why should I? I am loyal to Konoha dammit." The one armed man was stubborn if nothing else.

"I wasn't giving you a choice Danzo…either you serve or I destroy everything you put in place to help Konoha." Blue said snapping his fingers and destroying a wall.

The wall led out to the entrance of the ROOT head quarters. There the majority of the ROOT lay either dead or dying. Danzo looked at the scene for several minutes.

"If I work for you will Konoha be safe?" Danzo asked at last.

"Konoha will have nothing to fear from me." Blue said smiling.

"Fine" The one armed man said looking like he chewed glass.

**End Flash back**

"Anything else?" Blue asked curious.

"No sir…" Red answered. _'Just the feeling that I know this Naruto Namikaze boy somehow.'_ The mask hid her thoughts.

"Not having second thoughts are we?" Blue asked with a small chuckle.

"No sir never!" Red insisted.

"Good because it would be shame to get rid of you Uzu" Blue said shaking his head. _'The amount of effort required to break you was no small thing even weakened as you were…'_ Blue scowled to himself as Red left.

**Hokage Tower**

"Alright Team Gai given the circumstances you are to take Sasuke Uchiha and Shikimaru Nara with you to the land of waves. Ordinarily I'd just entrust the mission to Team Kakashi but with Sakura out of commission…" The Sandaime said after a moment dreading what was to come.

"I understand Hokage-sama I will acquaint them with the ways of youth!" Gai AKA the most messed up Jonin in Konoha shouted.

"Yes Gai-sensei if you cannot then I will do 200 kicks while standing on my left hand!" Lee shouted back.

"And if you cannot do that then I will do 600 punches while running upside down!" Gai Proclaimed.

"And if you cannot do that then I will run 800 laps while blind folded!" Lee shouted getting louder.

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei"

"Lee!"

"Gai—"

"Knock it off now!" Sarutobi shouted throwing two paper weights and both of them.

"Thank you Hokage-sama!" Neji and TenTen both said bowing.

"Just get them out of here you will all meet at the western gate at 0900 understood?" the Hokage asked.

"Yes Hokage-sama" they both said as they dragged their team mates out of the office.

"Why the hell is there always two of them? First Hwang Akimatsu and Gai Maito and know him and that Rock Lee kid. It's just not fair…" Hiruzen muttered to himself. With a sigh he got back to work.

**With Naruto (2 day since the funeral pyre)**

"You know you're a very hard person to track Namikaze? Your chakra blends in to the natural fauna quite well." Shino commented as he walked up to the blond.

"Hmm I was trying to prevent that…anyone else with you?" The jinchuruki asked.

"No but I believe that Ino-san and Genma-sensei are about a half day out. I have no idea where Yamato-san is." The bug user said adjusting his shades.

"That blasted Tengu…" Naruto muttered.

"What exactly happened after we were scattered?"

"I tried to kill it unfortunately it was a clone that exploded on me. Where the real one is I don't know" the blue eyed boy shrugged.

"I see what exactly is a Tengu?" The stoic genin asked.

"That's a tricky question to answer. At one point Tengu were simple mountain spirits. They were more cunning and mischievous than the norm but not evil. Something happened they become more and more cruel and began to actively try to hurt people. Eventually they became demons." The former monk explained.

"And the Tengu's claim to have created ninja?" The bug user asked.

"According to the old tales the Rikudo sennin learned how to truly use chakra from the Tengu in his youth. They attempted to corrupt him with the power they possessed but the Rikudo Sennin was too strong for them and destroyed their mountain retreats before going back to the world of men."

"I thought all the demons were sealed save for the bijuu? Shino said confused.

"The Tengu were corrupted during the long peace between the end of the war and the time of the Rikudo Sennin. The order had assumed that that the Rikudo Sennin had banished them like we had. But looks like that didn't happen." The blond gave a grimace.

"I'll take first watch" The stoic genin said quietly after a few minutes of silence.

"Thank you Shino it has been sometime since I've been able to effectively meditate" Naruto gave a weary smile.

"It is no trouble"

**With Yamato**

"Were the hell am I?" Yamato asked out loud he had thought that he had been making his way towards the road they had used.

Instead he was even deeper in the forest. Standing on the top of one of the higher trees he looked out. Unto a sea of a green and no mountains…so where exactly was he? Yamato shoved that thought aside for a second as he looked for any form of civilization. At last he spotted a small stone temple. With a shrug the ex ANBU decided to head there.

Travelling to the small temple took only a few hours. However Yamato was surprised to see a much older version of Naruto sitting on the steps. His hair was a platinum color, with the same eyes but a weathered face.

"Naruto-san?" The Mokuton user asked incredulously.

"What? You young whippersnapper get off my lawn!" the older Naruto shouted throwing Yamato for a loop.

"Huh?"

"Oh I love doing that to people. But I'm not this Naruto person you speak of my name is Hatoba" the blond man said.

"You look just like him albeit older." The ex-ANBU said.

"Oh what's his last name?" Hatoba asked.

"Namikaze"

"So my grandson decided to follow in his fathers footsteps. Interesting, come on inside I don't have much but I do have some tea leaves." The old man said with a smile.

"You're his grandfather? Than why are you out here?" Yamato asked now thoroughly confused.

"Did the boy ever tell you about our family?" Hatoba asked.

"No I don't know much about the Namikaze other than they were traditionally masters of sealing and close quarters combat." The Mokuton user answered.

"That we were but we also had more than a few strange traditions. One of them was that when the son was able to defeat the father the father would go to a monastery for the rest of his days. Minato beat me when he was 14 I was 40 at the time and ready to go. So I left." The older man said smiling.

"That doesn't explain why you're here"

"No but that is a tale for another time. Tell me how Mt. Shaoshi and my grandson are doing." Hatoba commanded.

"Not well the monastery was destroyed by demons and from Naruto has told me the Dark Order is rising." Yamato said.

"Huh…thought I had prevented that. Oh well it won't be the first time that a Namikaze has saved the world." Hatoba said seeming remarkably chipper.

"You see remarkably calm your grandson is rather disturbed by these events."

"Ehh it's his first time saving the world. You're always nervous your first time anything."

"Ummm…are you insane?" Yamato asked disturbed. The man was just so damn chipper it wasn't natural to be that happy it just wasn't.

"Quite possibly. So what is my grandson going to save the world with?" the unnaturally happy man answered.

"I believe he's going to try to become a Saint…"

"Interesting send him here for more instruction once he gets past the whole going insane thing. There are a few tricks I know about holy chakra and the Namikaze seals that he won't" Hatoba said firmly.

"What? Naruto said Holy Chakra is dangerous but it drives you insane?" the ex-ANBU was now seriously considering just leaving the crazy man and forgetting about him.

"Well it does to most people. Others it just blows up" the blond said still smiling.

"Sir you scare me." Yamato muttered but Hatoba still heard.

"That's nice. So how did you find me anyway?" the old man enquired.

"We were confronted by a being a Tengu I think it was. It flapped its wings and I woke up in the forest." The former ANBU shrugged.

"I see well that explains why you're here at least."

"What do you mean?"

"No doubt my grandson will tell you that Tengu's are corrupted mountain spirits that have turned into demons. That's only partially true there has always been a small clan of them that resisted the corruption. Though still forced to serve in order to survive that clan has always been one to try and help out others given a chance. Tell me long nose or beak?" Hatoba asked.

"He had a beak…"

"Than he was one of the good ones." The well Yamato wasn't sure what the hell old man was.

"Ummm I think Naruto tried to kill it." The ex-ANBU said quietly. This for whatever reason caused the old man to drop and roll on the floor laughing

"Ahh that's a good joke, the boy is probably a prodigy like his old man but he's about 40 years to young too kill a Tengu." Hatoba said wiping tears from his eyes.

"Sir you're doing it again…" Yamato was now positive that this man was insane and was subtly looking for an escape route.

"Honestly you ninja are too uptight. But seriously though to kill a Tengu you have to challenge it to a riddle contest and win." The smiling man said.

"Why on earth would that work?" the Mokuton user asked incredulous.

"Point of honor for Tengu to always be able to out think a human. If they can't they don't really see the point of living anymore." Hatoba answered.

"…."

"You're wondering why on earth I know these things and act like a kid on a sugar high right?" the older man asked quietly.

*Nods*

"It's a secret!" the smiling man said laughing. Causing Yamato to hang his head and mutter why me.

"Sir it was very nice meeting you but if you could direct me to Konoha…" Yamato said giving up.

"Sure it's that way….about 2 months or so." Hatoba says causing Yamato to look south. He then felt a pinprick and looked to see a dart in his arm.

"Why am I seeing pretty colors?" the mokuton user asked looking around seeing various colors.

"You my friend are now on an acid trip" The old man said holding his chin in a sage like manner.

"A what kind of trip now?" Yamato asked confused while finding his hands fascinating.

"In layman's terms I drugged you with something that causes you to see things from a new perspective." The smiling man said.

"Why?"

"I was bored"

"I'm going to kill you" The mokuton user said while he struggled to maintain his grip on reality

"Look at the pretty birdy"

"What birdy?...Oh that birdy" Yamato said and that was that. The fearless wood master was now high as a kite.

"Sorry Yamato-san but I need to do some things before you leave. Truth is that Naruto needs an edge to fight the True Immortals…I intend to give him one through you. Hmm I see your true name now Tenzo. Now listen to my voice and heed my words. Tenzo of the Forest" Hatoba was no longer smiling

**Yamato's mindscape**

'_Now listen to my voice and heed my words Tenzo of the forest'_

"Hai"

'_Good you're more receptive than I had hoped. To truly use Holy Chakra one must utterly devote oneself to a single Holy principle. Naruto will know what this means. This principle is what allows one to direct and use the Holy Chakra within one's self. Without the principle the user will lose themselves becoming little better than a mindless drone. However becoming a Saint in of itself is not enough for victory not by itself. Naruto must unlock the four elements with himself and combine them with the Holy Chakra only then will he have the strength to defeat this foe._

_On to yourself you were given a false bloodline in order to manipulate the forest as Hashirama Senju once did. Learn the old way of the forest, only then will your bloodline reach its fullest potential._

_Remember these words Tenzo tell them to my grandson. When it is time he will seek me out. I cannot leave this place and you will not be able to consciously remember me. This will be but a dream but heed it Tenzo.'_

"Hai" Yamato said as he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

**With Naruto and Shino**

"So how'd you sleep?" Naruto asked.

"Adequately…Naruto you hesitated earlier when you talked about purifying the fox. As a comrade I ask that you trust me what will happen?" Shino said in a very quiet tone even for him.

"Shino I may trust you but there is no need to tell you." The blond said just as quietly.

"There is need to worry Naruto. From what I know you and the Kyuubi are linked if it is freed you will die." The bug nin said only a faint buzzing betraying his agitation.

"I know…" The jinchuruki said with a sad smile.

"Then why?"

"Shino the original seal was designed to convert the Kyuubi into regular chakra. As soon as I began purifying it I condemned my self to death. We didn't know it at the time we thought we were doing good. The seal knows exactly how much demonic chakra needs to be converted and if it doesn't find it from the Kyuubi it will try to take it from me. Doing so will reverse the seal and kill me. At least my way a great force for good is given to the world." The former monk said with a slight frown.

"Is there nothing you can do?" The shade wearing genin said his tone laced with a foreign feeling.

"Not that I know of…by the time I reach 25 I will die one way or another." Naruto ignored Shino's tone.

"We will not accept this" Shino said his voice no longer it normal monotone.

"Unless you have a way to convince the Shinigami to change the rules of reality you have no choice." The whiskered boy said with a shrug.

"I thought you believed in free will?"

"I do my life is mine to live it's just not a very long one." Naruto answered with a glance.

"Naruto you said to Master Wu that when Human spirit is in harmony with the body all things become possible. Are you truly willing to give up that easily?" the bug user asked.

"There is a difference between giving up and acceptance." The Namikaze insisted.

"Is there? From what I know they are the same thing save one is cloaked in more finery. You claim that you are going to become one of your legendary Saints. Surely changing your fate is no more difficult." Shino retorted.

"Perhaps you are right Shino. Regardless it is my decision." The former monk said quietly.

"It is, but do remember that you do have people that care for you Naruto Namikaze." The Aburame heir said.

"Why do you care so much Shino? It isn't logical…" the blond asked.

"Simple were you to die the Leaf will be next." Shino answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?" The former monk said visibly shocked.

"Of all of the ninja in our generation you are the only one I can see being able to lead us in the future. Sandaime-sama is strong. But he is old and his students…they lack the vision to truly lead Konoha. The same applies to our senseis there is none among them that would make a good Hokage. No you are the next Hokage by actions and by blood." The bug user insisted.

"I never wanted to be a leader or a ninja. Shino you know that."

"Yet you will not run from duty will you?" The stoic genin said his calm monotone returning.

"No…it isn't in me to run from duty. But I don't see myself as you do." Naruto

"And that is why you should lead. Your humility and dedication mean that you will truly care for Konoha, your wisdom and strength are already very high and they will only increase. And more importantly you out of everyone in the village know the difference between doing what is right and what is desired." The shade wearing genin said with a faint smirk.

"Let's table this discussion for now Shino-san. I will think upon what you have said." The blond said closing his eyes.

"That is all I can ask." The stoic boy said standing up.

"Shino for what it's worth I didn't mean to upset you." Naruto said quietly

"What makes you think that?" the bug use asked not looking back.

"Just a feeling" the blond answered.

"To use your words: Do not worry about me I'll be fine"

'_Huh so that's what it feels like to be shut down…kind of annoying'_ Naruto thought as he followed his team mate.

**With Yamato (2-days later) **

"Ohh my head…." Yamato muttered sitting up.

"Damn that was some messed up shit. Last time I ever let the crazy old guy drug me. Hey where is he?" the confused ex-ANBU looked around and saw the temple but no one else.

'_Did I just imagine the entire thing_?' He wondered to himself. With a shrug Yamato got up and following a nagging feeling headed south.

**Outside of Konoha (1 day's journey)**

"So to summarize we've lost a former ANBU captain, turned one of our own into our best and last hope, and we have to deal with the things that helped create the modern ninja. Am I missing anything?" Genma asked sighing.

"No sir." The three genin answered.

"Genma-sensei? I know what Naruto can do but shouldn't we get him to train more monks?" Ino asked. Why she was asking was unknown even to herself.

"I do not see myself as being capable for doing such a thing I know too little." The former monk said quietly.

"Kid I can't make you do anything but Master Wu he entrusted the order to you. That makes it your responsibility to make sure it lives on." The brown haired jonin deflected the verbal shut down with ease.

"I will discuss this with Master Sarutobi that is all I can promise." Naruto said shaking his head.

"Out of curiosity Namikaze what were the requirements to become a master within your order?" Shino interjected.

"Wisdom, Strength, Compassion, Honor. These four virtues a Master needs. Wisdom allows one to see the divine path. Strength gives one the will to step upon it. Compassion pushes you forward. Honor keeps you from falling off. This was the saying of Master Taikong Wong the first master of the Order."

"But you have all of those don't you?" The purple clad girl said with a frown.

"But not nearly enough. Ino-san the power that a monk can wield is much more than I have shown. I do not believe I am ready to take on a student now nor--" Naruto was cut off.

"But they didn't have a time limit." The bug nin interjected. The whiskered boy frowned but nodded after a few seconds.

"That was dirty Shino." The jinchuruki said with a look.

"Time limit?" Ino and Genma asked at the same time.

"It is something personal if Naruto-san is willing to share it you'll have to ask him." The stoic genin said knowing that Ino's insatiable curiosity was now piqued.

"Shino why do you hate me?" the former monk moaned

"I do not I am merely facilitating a removal of interpersonal barriers." The bug user replied.

"…."

"So what was he talking about?" the mind walker asked.

"Never mind…" The whiskered boy said with a frown. And mentally readied himself for the next few days.

**Naruto's apartment**

"Naruto Nii-san is coming back soon isn't he Onee-san?" Hanabi said quietly.

"No it takes about a month to get to the monastery and even then he'll probably be there a while trying to get them to help." Hinata replied.

"But I can feel him Onee-san." The young Namikaze insisted.

"You must be imagining things. Those scrolls Naruto left must be getting to you." The Hyuuga heiress said shaking her head.

"I'm serious Onee-san" Hanabi said pouting a little.

"Hey I'm going to get some snacks what do you two want?" Choji asked.

"Cinnamon buns!" Both girls shouted. The large boy nodded and left.

"Hanabi I don't know who you're sensing but it shouldn't be Naruto." Hinata said quietly a small frown on her features.

"If it is him you have to leave right?" The younger girl asked.

"I do"

"Has Hiashi-sama been able to do anything?" Hanabi had stopped calling Hiashi father after being told of the Hyuuga's actions towards the Namikaze.

"Afraid not imoto. The clan is set they want the Namikaze gone or subservient to them." The Hyuuga heiress said with a frown.

"Except Naruto nii-san will never serve them." The adopted girl said quietly.

"No he won't…"

"I don't want you to leave Onee-san it's too quiet here without your team." Hanabi said her eyes betraying nothing but her voice full of longing.

"Naruto will be here." Hinata tried to soothe her younger sister.

"Nii-san… he's got more important things to do than look after me" The younger girl said quietly.

"Does he now?" The Hyuuga heiress's voice was low and promised doom for something or someone.

"Not like that Onee-san. Nii-san ran into something right before he left that's why he went to get help" Hanabi held up her hands in a placating gesture.

"What was it?" Hinata asked with a look.

"Nii-san said something about evil monks but didn't tell me anything else." The adopted girl shrugged.

"Evil monks? That's like something out of a bad story." The heiress suppressed a chuckle.

"I'm only telling you what I heard Onee-san" Hanabi said her face turned into a pout.

"You've memorized the scrolls?" The older girl said unfazed.

"Yes Onee-san." The adopted girl said with a sigh. Sometimes her sister treated her like a little kid it was annoying.

"Good. No sister of mine is going to be unable to use her birthright." Hinata said smiling.

"I got the food!" Choji said returning from his impromptu snack run.

"Thanks Choji" The rest of the team said.

"Sorry girls but I was only able to get one cinnamon bun." The portly genin said apologetically.

To the end of their days Choji and the other members of team 8 would not forget the vicious fight that broke out between the sisters over the last cinnamon bun or that Hanabi inexplicably won.

**Hidden Altar**

"It is done my lord with in the week the curse should take effect." Green said quietly getting up from his kneeling position.

"Sir this isn't necessary…I can take care of the boy with out harming Konoha." Danzo said masking his panic with an apathy .

"No doubt you can but I find that I lack that kind of patience." Blue said with an eerie smile.

"Know your place Danzo" Red said punching him in the jaw. Danzo mentally frowned he remember being hit like this before…

"Yes my lady. I still insist this is unnecessary." The crippled man said using his good arm to wipe the blood from his mouth.

"A bit too late for that White it's already begun" Green commented as a dark pulse of energy blasted through the village.

Many in Konoha felt the pulse and many were also affected by it. Sarutobi fought it off quickly. _'Something has happened but what?'_ the old Kage wondered as he looked out on the village.

A/N: Aggh this is so late I have no excuse (well I do but they're not that good). Still a huge thank you to EdStargazer for recommending my fic. If you read my stuff but not his than stop go to his profile and read his stuff it's so much better than mine. As always please forgive any and all mistakes. On a completely different note will anyone take my challenge? I'm getting depressed over it. (See profile for details)

Next: Naruto returns, Yamato continues to be lost and Konoha under goes a dark transformation.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I apparently don't have to do these but ehh its tradition. I don't own Naruto I do however own the plot for this story.

**Scene Change(Time)**

**Kyuubi**

'_internal monologue/thoughts'_

Chapter 7

**Konoha Gate (4 weeks since the funeral pyre)**

"Wait who are you?" Izumo and Kotetsu had gotten gate duty again.

"Some call me Tim..." The figure in black said.

"What the hell kind of name is Tim?" Kotetsu asked.

"So sad when people don't remember the classics. Regardless, you two bore me." Black answered with a drawn out sigh.

"I don't know who you are, but unless you properly identify yourself you're getting an ass kicking!" Izumo said and the two Chunin took up stances.

"Well, well, can't have that..." The cloaked figure said and defeated them both with a single kick.

"If this is the skill of Brothers these days, I weep for humanity." The man said.

"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!" Izumo gasped, sending out a fireball.

"You have guts, I'll give you that, but such a pathetic flame won't even damage my clothes." Black said.

"Wh-what are you?" The normally lazy Chunin asked, stammering for the first time since the Kyuubi attack.

"Me? I'm just a man. Now come on out ANBU-chan and entertain me." The cloaked man said looking at the hidden ANBU.

"You die this day." A boar faced ANBU said.

"Possibly, but not because of you..." Black said and played with the ANBU for a few minutes before knocking him out.

"Well, that was disappointing." The cloaked man sighed. Now he had nothing to do.

**6 hours later**

"You're finally here, Naruto Namikaze." Black said as team 10 walked to the gate.

"And you are?" The whiskered boy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Some call me Tim." The figure said gesturing dramatically.

"No, your real name." The former monk said impatiently.

"That I can't tell you, but you can call me Black if you don't like Tim." Black said.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Well that's simple boy, I want to test you. See if the famed Namikaze blood holds true." The figure said tossing aside his cloak revealing a full body suit; an Oni mask hiding his identity.

"What are you talking about?" The former monk said genuinely confused.

"Surely you don't mean...No, they wouldn't would they? Oh well not my problem." Black muttered.

*Crack* Naruto was slammed into Konoha's wall creating a spider web of cracks from the impact. He slid down the wall before forcing himself up.

"Hmm, maybe you are worth my time after all. Not many can get up after a hit like that." The man seemed genuinely impressed.

"I've had worse training." The blue-eyed boy said rotating both of his arms and sliding into a stance.

"Indeed? Then let's get this started!" Black said maniacally and attacked.

Naruto did as best he could, but found himself forced back. Black eventually tired of tormenting him and launched a viscous side kick into the former monk's chest.

"It seems I was wrong. Is this what the Namikaze have become? It will be a favour to burn this world to ashes." The mysterious man said shaking his head.

"I may be Namikaze by blood but I was raised an Uzumaki!" Naruto said forcing himself back up. That attack had cracked several ribs.

"You've got some spirit in you." Black said good-naturedly.

"Hijustu: Arashi no Dageki." The blond muttered, sending out a storm of fists and palm strikes at the man.

"You blocked all of them?! How?!" Naruto said stepping back to see the man unfazed.

"You're still too slow." Black commented.

'_Now where have I heard that before?'Naruto wondered._

"Slow or not, you lose!" Ino said as the rest of team 10 began to fight.

It was short and brutal with Shino and Ino falling to a single punch and Genma being thrown into a wall.

"Looks like our time is at a close, as a parting gift...." The man said grabbing Naruto's arms at the wrist and breaking them.

"Hmm most people scream when you snap their wrists."

"I wouldn't give you the satisfaction." Naruto said grimacing.

"Until next time..." Black said disappearing in a whirl of wind.

"I think I punctured a lung...a medic would be appreciated." Shino said as he unsteadily made his way to his feet.

"What happened here?" A small squad of ANBU had arrived.

"A very bad man decided to play patty cake with us; we lost." Genma answered grimacing. He was damned lucky that his spine hadn't broken.

"If you say so, we'll get you to the hospital." A bear faced ANBU said.

"Hai." The team said.

**Hospital**

"A bruised spinal column, several broken ribs, a slight concussion, moderate internal bleeding, and last but not least two completely destroyed wrists. The only reason you aren't dead is because of that healing factor of yours. Even with it you're still going to be here a week, the wrist is a complicated thing and fixing it without your regeneration interfering is going to be a pain. Fortunately, you are the worst of your team. Regardless I am going to have to insist that you do no physical training for a month." The doctor said looking at the medical charts.

"I don't have that kind of time." Naruto said shaking his head.

"Ask me if I care."

"Do you care?" The former monk obliged.

"Not really, my job is to keep you idiots healthy. Not enable your obsessive compulsive need to train." The doctor answered with a frown.

"Aren't doctors supposed to be nice?" The whiskered boy asked with a small smirk.

"Only when we think the patient deserves it." The doctor said shaking his head.

"Guess its chakra control and studying for me." Naruto said with a sigh. The books were interesting, but somehow seemed incomplete.

"No explosions." The doctor said firmly giving a death glare.

"Why do you say that?" The blue-eyed boy asked blinking.

"That's usually what happens when you idiots practice chakra control in the hospital." The tall man said with a frown.

"I'll try..."

"Good, see you in four hours." The Doctor said walking out.

"Nii-san!" Hanabi ran in and awkwardly gave her adopted brother a brief hug.

"Hanabi-chan?" The blond asked.

"Nii-san what happened to you?" Hanabi asked with a frown.

"Remember the bad monk I told you about?" The former monk asked.

The young girl nodded.

"I met another one who, as Kiba would say, 'kicked my ass' badly." Naruto said frowning.

"Then why aren't you dead? Hiashi-sama always said to kill a defeated enemy." the younger Namikaze asked.

"...I don't know. Presumably because he either had orders or he genuinely thought I wasn't a threat." The whiskered boy said his frown intensified.

"Oh." The young girl said with a shrug.

"Now, how have you been Hanabi-chan?" The blue-eyed boy asked.

"Fine." Hanabi said masking her disappointment. She had lost her sister and her new brother apparently had people trying to kill him.

"I'm sorry about the Anathema, I only found out the day I left." The blond said with a small nod of his head.

"We ignored that while you were gone but we can't now." The former Hyuuga said with a small scowl.

"I'm glad that you got some time together. Family is too precious to allow some blind council to tear it apart." Naruto said after a moment.

"So where's Yamato nii-san?" The young girl asked.

"I don't know, we got separated on our way back. But he's a former ANBU captain I'm sure he's fine."

'_I hope he's fine anyway. The area around Mt. Shaoshi is pretty safe usually.'_ The blond thought.

"How long are you here for, Nii-san?" Hanabi asked.

"A week according to the doctor. Hanabi-chan if I were to train a few others as monks, would you be alright with them being in our home?" The whiskered boy asked.

"Why aren't you training me?" The younger girl asked giving a rather cute frown.

"I thought you wanted to be a ninja?" The former monk Said.

"Nii-san..." She growled, unintentionally using the Hyuuga death glare.

"Sorry I just don't think of girls as monks. A female monk is called a nun and as far as I know none of them ever had a martial tradition. Still if I train others as monks and if you still want to become one, we'll work something out okay imoto?" Said a rather nervous Naruto, all men instinctively know when a woman is ready to kill them.

"Hai!" Hanabi said smiling.

"Now if I could trouble you to get me some ramen?" The blond asked.

"Nii-san!" The death glare returned full force.

"...and some cinnamon buns." Naruto said relenting after a couple of minutes.

"Yay!" The younger Namikaze said taking some of Naruto's money and heading out to Ichikaru's.

"Blasted sisters and their eyes." The former monk muttered and pulled out one of the books and began reading using his feet.

**Hokage Tower**

"Genma is this report accurate?" The Sandaime asked looking up from the report.

"Hai, Hokage-sama. Whatever took that place out was very thorough. There were no survivors."

The senbon chewing Jonin had been released quickly with minimal damage. He was now giving his and his teams reports to the Hokage. Asuma was there as the closest thing the village had to an expert on monks besides Naruto.

"What could take out a monastery full of monks stronger than Naruto, who is already a Chunin in all but name?" The old Kage muttered.

"Naruto says demons, but something tells me it's more than that." The brown haired man said.

"Demons...like the Kyuubi?" Asuma asked.

"I don't know Asuma. I don't think so but you'd have to ask monk boy." The bandana wearing Jonin said with a shrug.

"Thoughts?" The Sandaime asked.

"Get Naruto to train more monks to deal with these other monks. I know we ninja can take them but we aren't even remotely trained to deal with people who can take us in a straight up fight. As a whole, Shinobi are pretty arrogant and if we do fight these guys who, incidentally, are at least A-class, we will lose a lot of people." Genma replied after a moment.

"Is he willing?" The old man asked taking a puff on his pipe.

"Dumb kid thinks he isn't ready to teach or be a leader even though he has both abilities in spades." The senbon chewing man said with a frown.

"What do you mean?" Asuma asked even as the Hokage smiled.

"The kid's a born leader even if his training has muted some of it. He's already become the rookie's de-facto go-to guy to get stuff done thanks to his friends in the academy. He inspires people and makes them want to succeed. Hell even Yamato is being affected. And though the kid doesn't know it he can teach." Genma said with a smile as both Shino's and Ino's taijutsu had improved dramatically with Naruto's help.

"We all go through it. But why are you so insistent that we get monks?" The Sandaime asked. He knew but wanted to hear his subordinates reasoning.

"Sir, Monks and Shinobi are fundamentally different. I've talked with Naruto a lot over this. Normal monks seem to be straightforward enough to kill. Sneak up on them and stab them, even if that's a little harder because of their awareness. But this group; it's like the Seven Swordsman going rouge but still working together at a very basic level, we aren't equipped to handle this kind of fight." Genma's pride stung at that but it was still true.

"Asuma you have something to say?" Hiruzen asked his son.

"I don't think that the kid's ready to teach, he needs a little more experience first. But get him to write out a training manual in case the worst happens. Other than that Genma's right, Monk's don't fight like we do. A specialized team designed to counter them might not be a bad idea." The bearding Jonin said.

"Indeed. It worries me that we have a hostile organization operating under our noses. Not to mention that you lost Tenzo." The Sandaime said frowning.

"It wasn't our fault!" The senbon chewing Jonin said quickly.

"No it wasn't, but he was one of our stronger shinobi on par with most A rank ninja." The Hokage said taking a long puff on his pipe.

"Sir?" Genma asked after a few minutes.

"Hmm...That will be all gentlemen; I'll discuss this with Naruto before going any farther on this front."

"Hai, Hokage-sama" The two men said bowing before using the shunshin to disappear.

"Neko, I have a job for you." Hiruzen called out to his ANBU guard.

"Sir?" The purple haired ANBU asked.

"I want you to infiltrate the village, find out where our leaks are. I've become too lax since the Kyuubi attack. I'll be damned if I let this village fall from within because of my fatigue." The Hokage said firmly.

"Hai Hokage-sama, do I have a free hand at this?" Neko asked.

"To a reasonable extent, any A-class foes are to be eliminated quickly and quietly though." The Hokage answered.

"Sir if that's the case then I request Dolphin be reactivated." The cat masked woman said.

"No faith in your own skills Neko?" The old man asked with smile.

"No sir but this is a midnight job sir I want it done cleanly." Neko answered.

"Very well, you can have Dolphin for the assassinations but other than that you are on your own understood?" Sarutobi asked.

"Hai Hokage-sama." The woman nodded.

"Dolphin's reactivation phrase is Ichikaru's makes good Dango."

"Understood" Neko answered and disappeared.

**Hospital (Next day)**

"Well Naruto good to see you being so dedicated." The old Kage said.

"Master Sarutobi." The blond nodded but didn't look up from the book.

"Something wrong Naruto?" Sarutobi asked.

"This manual doesn't make sense. And trying to figure it out is proving a nightmare."

"How so?" The man known as the 'Professor' had spent many nights trying to figure out old jutsu scrolls.

"It keeps referring to dedication but it never says dedication to what. It's confusing, but on the other hand it does have a wealth of knowledge on demons and the Black Order." The whiskered boy answered.

"Naruto, how do you feel about training monks?" Sarutobi ask getting to why he was here.

"That it's a bad idea. I am not ready to be a teacher. If I could take the Trials then maybe, but I wouldn't be ready for the Trials for years." The blond answered. Seeing the Sandaime's eyebrow raise in a questioning matter he continued.

"Once one has reached a certain point a monk would undergo a series of tests for the mind, body and spirit if he could pass these tests he was acknowledged as a Master. But it requires another Master to apply them."

"And there are no more masters." The Sandaime finished.

"Correct at least not of my order." Naruto said

"So then how do you purpose to rebuild the order?" The old man asked.

"Well if you are able to defeat whatever destroyed the Order you become a Master by default." The blond explained.

"So this has happen before?"

"No, it's just sort of implied that's all."

"Makes sense. Still I would feel better if you at least wrote down a training manual of some sort so we can at least try if you fail." Hiruzen said.

"I won't fail Master Sarutobi, not when so much is at stake." The whiskered boy's face was set in grim determination.

"No man is immortal. Not even you Naruto." The Hokage said quietly.

The silence stretched between them for several minutes until Naruto gave a sigh and spoke.

"I suppose you're right Master Sarutobi but this manual cannot be used unless I am dead."

"Why?"

"If I die then it will be bad, there will be few with the knowledge to stop them. The other orders have not kept up their martial traditions arguing that our time has passed. This manual will provide that knowledge. If they know of its existence then they will do everything to destroy it. Thus the manual must remain hidden so that it is not destroyed." Naruto explained.

"I see...how would you hide it?" The old kage asked.

"A blood seal for the Hyuuga specifically Hinata." The blond said, there were few he trusted more these days.

"Why?" Hiruzen said raising an eyebrow; the Hyuuga would love to have those techniques.

"Ever heard the term hiding in plain sight? The Hyuuga and Namikaze are not friends right now so who would think to look for the book there? I am aware of the Hyuuga desire for my techniques but I can trust Hinata, besides a life seal would keep them from opening it." The whiskered boy answered.

"I see, very well I will arrange it discreetly enough. But I want you to look at candidates for training in the event things go wrong." The Sandaime said firmly.

"I can give you the criteria now if you wish." Naruto said. At the Hokage's nod he continued.

"The individual must have never killed. Know the pain of loss and isolation. And posses Wisdom, Strength, Compassion and Honour."

"Anyone that fits off the top of your head?" The Hokage asked.

"No not really but then I don't know that many people."

"I see must they be children when they begin training?"

"It is preferable; it's not impossible to become a monk as an adult but is much more difficult." Naruto said with a shrug.

"Why would that be?" The Sandaime knew that as a general rule you had to start early with ninja. But that was mostly to get chakra output up rather than any integral need to have children with the ability to gut men like fish.

"Adults are more set in their ways. It's much harder to walk the Divine Path when you've been on another for so long." The blond said reasonably.

"I see, if this needs to happen I'll handle it personally." The old Kage said.

"Alright I'll have a clone write out the manual." The former monk said.

Hiruzen nodded and turned to leave only to meet Danzo.

"Danzo what are you doing here?" The Sandaime said his eyes lowering.

"What you should be doing. Boy..." The last part of the statement was addressed to Naruto.

"Hai?" The blond asked.

"Can you tell me the full power of these monks?" The master of ROOT asked.

"It varies from person to person. In general, full monks will be by your standards incredibly skilled in taijutsu and immune to all but the most powerful genjutsu. In addition to that although monks don't use ninjutsu they cultivate their skills at nature manipulation to the highest level they can." The whiskered boy saw no reason to not tell the man what he wanted to know.

"I'd expect more blessings and curses from monks." The crippled man muttered.

"They're not priests. There are some rituals that work like that according to the records but using them is forbidden on the basis that the most powerful ones require human sacrifice." Naruto said shaking his head.

"Hmmph not much but still I can work with that." Danzo said turning.

"Danzo what are you planning?" The Sandaime asked.

"To protect Konoha whatever the cost." The master of ROOT said calmly and left.

"Naruto do not trust that man whatever you do." Sarutobi said quietly after the other man left.

"Hai Master Sarutobi there is a taint around him. I didn't intend to trust him." The blond said with a small frown.

"Well Naruto I'm glad we had this chat. Now I have to go and discuss some things with the council." The Sandaime said.

"Such as what Master Sarutobi?" Naruto had always had good instincts.

"Crime, especially violent crime, has risen dramatically since that pulse about a week ago. Like some kind of...curse." The old Kage said causing Naruto to give a start.

"No they wouldn't..." The blond muttered as he flipped through the pages of the book.

"What is it?" the Hokage asked seeing Naruto's face.

"They used 'Beast Within' ritual. It creates an incredibly powerful curse that makes people given in to their darker desires. It also requires a human sacrifice specifically a child." Naruto's face, normally a healthy tan, was pale.

"So then all the violence..." The Hokage said quietly trailing off.

"Yes and it's only going to get worse." The whiskered boy said with a grimace.

"Can you stop it?"

"Maybe...I have enough Holy Chakra for it but I lack the control. There might be a ritual or seal in here to counter it." Naruto answered

"See what you can do." The Hokage ordered

"Hai I need to do a little more research first." The former monk said and began reading. The Hokage soon left.

**Naruto's mind (Night)**

**Mortal.**

_Kyuubi, this is unexpected._

**I have a deal.**

_Any deal made with you is worth less than the words used to speak it._

**I swear as a demon that this is a true bargain.**

_Alright I'll listen._

**How much Power do you think you need to defeat any of the other demons?**

_Hmmm, using tails converted to Holy Chakra I'd say four maybe five?_

**How long do you have until the seal reverses?**

_7 years you know this._

**I have been thinking. As much as I hate you and all humanity I hate enslavement more. Millennia ago my fellow Bijuu and I were enslaved by you accursed apes. I wish to avoid that.**

_I'm not letting you out. Your kind is too powerful to be let loose on the world. _

**I know that you would not give me freedom on this plane, but my home plane I think you should be able to do that. I give you 4 tails in addition to the one you stole. In exchange you send me home and I work my way back to the king of demons.**

_Even if I was willing to agree to this deal, what's your angle? That bargain is far too generous. There's something else._

**The ulterior motive in this case is revenge.**

_Revenge? Against who?_

**I intend to hijack any and all summonings, destroy every last summoner there, and retreat.**

_Including the ninja summons?_

**No they are....neutral to my kind, it will be centuries before the war with them can resume to its fullest.**

_Why, am I not surprised that you're at war with them?_

**...We're a race of malevolent beings that enjoy torture and bloodshed what did you expect us to do?**

_Kill each other and save the rest of us the trouble?_

**That's rich. We do, but we can't fight each other all the time. So do we have a deal?**

_I can't see how this deal is even possible so no._

**I fail to see your problem.**

_The seal that tied our souls together, damning both of us to the Shinigami's stomach, is the problem. Short of removing it, which I refuse to do, there's no way to do this._

**That's simple; I've looked at this seal for a very long time and found that right when it reverses it breaks for a split second. We set the seals up right and I can escape without either of us dying.**

_Answer's still no._

**What do you mean no?**

_No: a negative used to disagree or reject a statement. I don't trust you and even if I did there's no way I'm failing my duty._

**Well crap.**

_So Kyuubi are you ready?_

**Heh. I was trying to be nice, after all you did earn some respect coming in here and facing me down every day but now I'll just do it the hard way!**

_How? The seal should still be working. _

**Idiot, when you used that move against the fake Tengu it opened up a back channel. Good bye!**

_Over my dead body!_

**That isn't really a problem for me.**

The mind is a strange and wondrous thing. When two minds clash, it is not the one with more intelligence, or experience that wins it is the one with the desire to live. The two had summoned weapons representing their souls; Kyuubi with a giant cleaver of a sword, all power and no grace and Naruto with a simple staff, merging elegance and strength. Yet Naruto was losing. His staff battered and his stance weak.

**You're pathetic! You can never defeat a demon!**

_No....I've made too many promises to die here! _The words echoed in his head.

**Flash back (6 Years ago)**

"You must promise me Naruto to never give in to the demon." Master Wu said pouring a cup of tea.

"But Master, it's so strong I don't know if I can." The young blond said shivering a bit as he watched the tea flow.

"Yes the demon is strong but so are you." The old man said smiling.

"But if the Saints couldn't do it then what chance do I have?"

"The chance that all men have. We were never the strongest of Kami's divine creations but we were always the most wilful. We would fight until we were on the ground bleeding and broken and then get up and do it again. That is the strength the individual possesses but do you know where our true strength comes from?" The abbot asked.

"No master." Naruto said shaking his head.

"Each other, the will to live for another is the strongest force we possess." Wu said taking a long sip of tea.

"Then I will never lose as long as I have you and the others Master!" The whiskered boy shouted.

"Glad to hear it." The old Abbot said.

**4 years ago**

"Still too slow little guy." Brother Zhou said lightly smacking Naruto into the ground.

"Arrgh! One day Aniki, one day!" Naruto shouted.

"One day what?" Zhou said laughing.

"I'll become even stronger than you!" The blond declared.

"Will you now?" The monk asked.

"It's a promise!" The whiskered boys face was hard with determination.

"You're going to have to work hard to catch up then." Zhou said using his one hand to block Naruto's attack.

**1 year ago**

"Naruto promise me something would you?" The two had finished one of their spars and were lying on the ground.

"What's that Hinata-chan?" The blond asked.

"-Sama you idiot! Promise that no matter what happens we'll still be friends." The heiress said resuming some of her long lost shyness.

"Hai only if you promise the same." Naruto said smiling as his friend nodded.

**Present**

_I won't lose to you!_

**Bold words insect let's see if you can back them up!**

The two gathered everything they had into their weapons; this next blow would finish it. Ethereal blue and white surrounded Naruto while the Kyuubi's violent red chakra pulsed.

The two let out a battle cry and swung their weapons.

A/N: And that's a wrap for this chapter I got over 5k hits for this story last month that's awesome. Anyway found a new beta so a big thank-you to DustBunnyQueen. Moving on I do have a poll up if you would like to vote that would be appreciated. And seriously will anyone take my challenge? Anyone at all? Next: It's a secret


	8. Chapter 8

Font changes: Same as the previous chapters

**Border between Life and Death**

"Where am I?" Naruto asked looking around. He was surrounded by fog.

"You are on the border between life and death." A yellow robed figure with a white sash said walking out of the mist.

"Then the Kyuubi..." The blond said trailing off.

"No, the demon is in the same state as you are; not dead but not alive either." A black robed figure with a white sash came out of the mist.

"Good. I have not failed." The former monk said.

"No not yet but you have the potential to." Yet a third figure said, this one wearing gray robes and a white sash.

"Wait, you're the Three Saints, Huang Di, Fu Xi, and Shennong." Naruto said recognizing their faces and garments.

Huang Di, master of the Order of Heavenly Lotus, wore the yellow robes of his order proudly. The Heavenly Lotus monks were masters of earth and its related elements.

Fu Xi, master of the Order of the Holy Stone, was a little man compared to others only as tall as Naruto himself. Still, his black robes clung to him and the subtle increase in heat showed his mastery all fire related chakra.

Shennong, master of Naruto's own order, considered a once in a millennium genius when it came to mastering the air to one's will.

These three were legends; they had rallied the Orders against the traitorous Immortals. They had held led the final assault on the True Immortals last monastery. They were the Saints, and to a monk they were the epitome of what one should be.

"We are, or will be." Huang Di agreed.

"What?" The blue-eyed boy asked.

"Time and titles have little meaning here. We will be known as the Three Saints, but in our time we are called the Three Masters." Fu Xi explained.

"How is this possible? To actually meet you, I was taught that you ascended already." Naruto asked.

"Nothing quite so dramatic happened. Like you, we came here but unlike you, we were never given the chance to leave." Shennong answered. Naruto noticed that they seemed to speak in turns.

"Leave?" The blond asked.

"A challenge has been issued by the Kyuubi for control of your body. This challenge shall begin as soon as we finish. We are to act as your proponents in the trial. " Huang Di said.

"What trial?" The boy asked

"In good time, first we must prepare you." Fu Xi said shaking his head.

"For what?"

"To be a Grand Master, or Saint as you call it, requires the person to undergo an ordeal. To truly use Holy Chakra, one must understand both all the pain this world has to offer as well its joy and make a choice. The right choice will allow you to use Holy Chakra to its fullest extent with training. The wrong choice will cast you to the darkness. Truthfully, we had hoped to wait until you were older but one cannot control the whims of chance." Shennong answered.

"What is the ordeal?" Naruto asked quietly.

"First ordeal: the ordeal of pain." Huang Di said making a strange gesture with his hands.

Naruto collapsed on the ground screaming in agony. As he began to feel all the hurts the world has given to mankind over the years.

"For what it's worth, we're sorry that this has to happen." Fu Xi said looking at the boy.

"But should he succeed then he may do what we cannot." Shennong noted.

The three looked at the boy. They would watch, they owed him that much.

**Konoha**

Iruka stumbled back sickened. What, what had he just been about to do? Looking at the terrified Ayame left no doubt in his mind. He had been about to rape her. Only to stop himself at the last minute as a wave of chaotic energy blanketed Konoha.

"Ayame-san...I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry." The teacher said, controlling his urge to retch.

"Stay back!" The ramen maker screamed.

"Hai! There are no words to express my shame at this. I humbly beg your forgiveness." Iruka said, prostrating himself before the young woman.

"What the hell is going on here?" a cat-faced ANBU asked having heard the scream.

"This man was about to rape me..." Ayame said still shaking.

"Is this true?" Neko asked turning to Iruka.

"It is, although for the life me I can't remember why or when I decided to do it." The scarred teacher said shuddering.

"Sick bastard; alright let's get you into the jail cells where you belong." Neko said motioning for Iruka to put his hands out.

"Hai I'll go peacefully. I am sorry Ayame-san." Iruka said as the ANBU wrapped his hands in chakra draining rope.

"So you really don't know why you were going to do that?" Neko asked as they made their way to the jail cells.

"No, I've always had a... healthy appreciation for Ayame both in looks and personality. But I felt that because of her age and status as a civilian that I would never be involved with her. It just wouldn't be right." The teacher said, struggling to not run at the ANBU and commit suicide by proxy for what he almost did.

"And you just snapped?" The ANBU asked confused.

"No, it wasn't so much snapping as feeling that I was going to get what I wanted. It just didn't matter what she wanted." Iruka said his voice filled with self-loathing.

"Well that's odd. Given the way you're acting, we'll probably have a Yamanaka look at you just to make sure it wasn't some jutsu." Neko said.

**Hokage Tower**

"That's the fifth report this hour. Everywhere people are waking up with doing or about to do terrible things." Hokage said frowning at the sheet of paper. Who would have thought Iruka of all people...

"This is troubling Hokage-sama but why have you called us?" Genma asked.

He and Asuma had been summoned a little under a half hour ago. The Village seemed to have been in the grip in madness but it was fading.

"I want you to go find Naruto Namikaze, gain access to the Namikaze clan library. And find some way stop this ritual."

"Sir?" The senbon chewing Jonin said.

"Naruto was looking through some scrolls and found mention of a ritual that caused something like this to happen. He said that he was looking for a way to reverse it. I want to know his progress on it. Also the Namikazes where revered as seal masters of the highest order, there may be a seal in their library that can help." The Sandaime explained.

"What if can't be stopped?" Asuma asked. Asuma didn't know much about rituals, his time with the fire guardians had introduced him to monks but nothing truly in depth.

"There has to be a way." Hiruzen said his frown deepening.

"I hope so Hokage-sama. But if this goes on much longer it won't matter if we stop it, Konoha will never be the same." Genma said.

"I am not about to lose Konoha this way. Move!" The Hokage shouted. The two Jonin nodded and disappeared.

**Namikaze Compound**

Anko was not having a good day. Well that wasn't entirely true; it had been a great day. Until she lost control and murdered a man who called her 'Snake Whore'. Anko, although a borderline sociopath was not stupid, she knew that when the higher ups found out she was dead. There was no way for the Hokage to protect her now that she had murdered a civilian over what was essentially a schoolyard insult.

Fortunately, Anko did have something that could save her. It depended on the new Namikaze heir. Years ago in the immediate aftermath of Orochimaru's defection and her subsequent return, the Yondaime had met Anko. After a short discussion, Minato had pulled out a small orb with a star inside it. And gave to the traumatized girl

"Take this. Sarutobi and I both agree that you're just one more victim of Orochimaru. But if you should ever find yourself in desperate danger or trouble come to the Namikaze compound and shove this into the door. Go inside and stay there. I or my descendents will provide sanctuary as long as you have that orb." The Yondaime had said.

Anko knew it was a fool's hope but it was all she had. _'All right here it goes' _the trench coat wearing Jonin thought. She pulled the orb from her pocket and placed it into a recess at the center of the door.

The door flashed once and then opened up to reveal a portal. Grabbing the orb, Anko ran inside.

Hanabi was sitting in the clan dojo. Although she could no longer practice Jyuuken Hanabi was determined to grow strong enough so she wouldn't need her adopted brother's protection.

As such, she was slowly puzzling her way through some katas for a martial art created around attacking vital organs, it was known as the 'Murderous Fist' from the anecdotes she had read but the manual itself had no name.

Hanabi had gotten use to the portals that the Namikaze used as doorways to and from the compound. However, she had not gotten used to them appearing out of thin air. Most of the main ones would have a sharp trill right before they activated.

Thus, when a portal opened up at the entrance to the dojo without the trill, the former Hyuuga let out a string of profanity that she shouldn't know.

"That's quite the mouth their girlie." The snake mistress said surprised.

"Who are you?" Hanabi asked after gathering her composure.

"Names Anko Mitarashi, listen I need to talk to your brother." The trench coat wearing Jonin said.

"Nii-san is still in the hospital. He won't be back till the end of the week." The youngest Namikaze said shaking her head.

Hanabi had no idea what to make of this strange woman. She was dangerous but she seemed frightened although she hid it well. Hyuuga are taught from birth to catch the subtle changes in nuance and use them to discern the truth

"Fuck...I don't suppose you know any of the Namikaze traditions do you?" The brown-eyed woman asked frowning.

"Not really, I have studied a little bit, but nothing relating to strange women appearing in my home." Hanabi answered deadpan.

"Do you know what this is?" Anko asked pulling the orb out of her pocket.

"No, what is it?" The former Hyuuga asked.

"Minato Namikaze gave me this and said that should I need it, I would be given sanctuary with this clan as long as I had this orb." The sealed woman answered.

"I see...there might be something in the library but Nii-san says I'm too young to go in there without him yet." The young girl said frowning.

"Fuck."

"Err...yes, but can you tell me why your here besides that orb?" Hanabi asked.

"Dammit...all right it goes like this. Right before Minato Namikaze became the Yondaime there was a fairly intense rivalry between him and Orochimaru for the position of Hokage. Now at the time I was the apprentice of Orochimaru. However, Minato eventually gained the title and Orochimaru went off the deep end. I was infatuated with the snake bastard so I followed him unquestioningly.

"Time passed, Orochimaru began to do more, and more illegal experiments and I gradually drifted away from him. Eventually he decided to field test his curse seal on me. I barely survived after that I ran to the Hokage and told him everything.

"Thing is that a lot of the higher ups didn't really believe that I had abandoned Orochimaru. They thought that I was just sleeper agent. Most of them didn't trust me and were just itching for a chance to have me discharged from the Ninja Corps and executed. The Yondaime saw this and gave me that orb in case something happened where they would be able to do that.

"Today I murdered a man. Before you ask I don't know why, I've always had trouble keeping my temper in check but I've always known when to stop but not today. He insulted me, called me a Snake Whore, usually I just hurt them, but this time I killed him. I knew what this would let them do to me so I ran here. Satisfied princess?" The snake Jonin asked caustically.

"Mostly hold on one second." Hanabi said dropping into a meditative state.

'_Holy and Demonic chakra are very similar to each other Hanabi. The difference lies in the use. Holy chakra is used to protect and create. Demonic chakra is used to destroy and tear down. People naturally fear and despise both types because both have the potential for great pain. However, people like us who can sense these things will not fear Holy chakra because we know its purpose. When sensing either form make sure to look for the darkness and the light in each.'_ The words that the clone had spoken to her earlier played through her mind as Hanabi reached out with her senses.

She felt, rather than saw, a monstrous dark snake coiling around the strange woman in front of her. Yet even as the snake coiled tighter, Anko's own will forced it off. Still, both had the feeling of something that had happened countless times before. However, underneath the snake was a far darker presence. It had no real form but it pulsated a feeling of corruption and death.

A single eye opened from the thing looking at Hanabi it narrowed and leapt at her. The shields she had placed months ago held barely. But rather than dying like it was supposed to do, the being slinked into a shadow and disappeared.

"What's wrong?" Anko asked as she watched the younger girl shake.

"I saw the mark of your former master on you. I also so something else...I don't know what it was but it's gone now." The former Hyuuga said.

"Huh?"

"My brother could explain it better. There are things out there that aren't alive, but they aren't dead either. I think one of those was on you making you lash out at that man." The young Namikaze girl explained.

"That doesn't help me at all." The Snake Jonin scowled.

"That's the best I can explain it I'm just an eight year old girl!" Hanabi said trying to keep hold of her emotions as the raw terror that the earlier presence and Anko inspired threatened to make her sob in fear.

"Calm down Princess ...I don't usually say this but I'm sorry alright?" Anko said softening as she watched the girl pull herself together. The way the former Hyuuga acted, it was hard to believe that she was only 8 years old.

"Hai...I'm going to get something to eat you want to join me?" The former Hyuuga said trying to be a good hostess.

"Got any dango?" The dango loving Jonin asked.

"Maybe." The young girl didn't really like the stuff, but there might be something in the fridge.

**Border**

"By the Light why? Why did you do that to me?" Naruto asked as he struggled to stand up.

"To truly understand power, one must understand the suffering its misuse brings as well as the pain it inflicts." Huang Di said tightening his yellow sash.

"I assure you, I could have learned that lesson without enduring that torment." The blond boy insisted.

"No, you would have understood mentally but your soul would never have comprehended. And you would have fallen just as the Dark order. There is no power without suffering." Fu Xi said sadly.

"There had to be a better way." Naruto said with a slight frown.

"You think we have not looked? Over four millennia we sought a better way and for naught." Shennong said his face twisted into a scowl.

"My apologies." The Namikaze heir said.

"No, despite the harshness of my brothers you do have a point. We had no right to force that on you. However it is done. Are you prepared for the second ordeal?" Huang Di asked nodding.

"What is it?" Naruto asked cautiously.

"Just as you know the suffering that power brings, so to you must know the joy that power can bring if used correctly. The second ordeal is far harder than the first. Instead of enduring the pain as you have, you must pull away from the joy each time. Truthfully, others have endured the first trial. None since us have been able to perform the second." Fu Xi answered.

"I see, may I have a brief meditation before we begin?" The former Monk asked.

"Take what time you need, it's rather elastic here." Shennong said with a shake of his head.

Naruto calmed himself and reached for his center, an indefinable part of a person that makes them who they are. Some called it a soul but most monks didn't. The soul was part of it, but not all of it, and so for lack of a better term they called it one's centre.

Finding it, Naruto concentrated repairing the damage done to him by the first ordeal. Physical pain hurts and enduring all of it predictably hurt a lot. But still with the right training, one can endure such pain. Naruto had such training and used it well. It was his emotions that had been torn to shreds.

For all of its strength, the heart is a fragile thing, brittle if you know where to attack it. And Naruto's had been attacked in every way imaginable. Losing a family to a loved one? All of the people you knew and loved hating you? Trying to kill you? Being beaten down every day by everyone around you? Having your right to exist denied? It had all happened to Naruto and more besides.

_I am Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze that is something no one can take away. _ The blond thought as he began at the beginning, rebuilding himself from the broken person he was. It was hard work but doable as long as you knew whom you were down to the last detail.

"You are ready?" Huang Di asked as Naruto opened his eyes.

"I am but I do have one question." The whiskered boy said.

"It will be permitted." Fu Xi said nodding.

"You said that if my soul didn't know the pain power caused I would fall like the Dark order did. What did you mean by that? I was always taught that they were corrupted by tampering with demonic energies." Naruto said frowning.

"That is the truth but not the whole truth. It is a long story and we have no desire to go into it fully. Suffice to say that although they did use demonic powers that was not the cause of their fall." Shennong said grudgingly.

"All of the Orders had grown arrogant at the power we possessed. Do you know what it feels like to control the fate of entire continents? There is nothing to describe it. In the beginning, we kept to the teaching our founders gave us. However all though our three orders had considerable power it paled to the amount the True Immortals possessed. Though their numbers were small; even one of their brothers could take on a dozen of ours and win.

"The power that was wielded in those days was immense, and ordinary humans slowly became less and less important to us. We had no idea of the consequences of our actions only our power" Huang Di said with passion.

"Yet still it wasn't enough, the True Immortals wished to learn how to use chakra to the point where they would be effectively immortal until they decided to die. Having exhausted all possible avenues in the light they turned to the dark." Fu Xi continued.

"And with that turn, they fell. They began to attack us quietly at first, until that day..." Shennong said his eyes downcast.

**Imperial Throne Room (2000 years before the birth of the Rikudo Sennin)**

"This is an outrage Tien, by what right do you command the Emperor of all nations to bow down?" The Emperor, an older man dressed in fine green robes, demanded.

"By the right of power you decrepit man!" Tien, the master of the Order of True Immortals, answered. He wore the blue robes his order was famous for. A small medallion was the only indication of his status within the order.

"This Empire has been in existence for a millennium, I am not so old as to bow down to man with delusions of grandeur!" The Emperor snarled, his blue eyes blazing with anger.

"The time of the Empire has ended. It is time for the Immortals to take their place as rulers." The Master said with an arrogant smirk

"Guards, kill him." The old man ordered.

The guards, all considered Masters even if they were only technically, Brothers attacked as one. Tien closed his eyes for a brief moment and then opened them sending a wave of chakra out. Throwing the guards back against a wall hard.

"I wasn't finished Toranaga." The corrupted master said unleashing his full chakra pressure. This forced almost everyone to the ground.

The emperor was the only one that remained standing. He was considered a Master by all the orders and would not be beaten so easily. Making a strange hand sign, the older man began to transform into a humanoid dragon.

Tien smirked and attacked the Emperor. The two traded blows, each one strong enough to shatter stone until Tien reached into his shirt and pulled out a small vial. The dragon like emperor scowled and used his claws to shatter the vial assuming that it was a rejuvenation potion.

As the liquid fell on Toranaga, he was forced back as the acid scarred his skin.

"How?" The emperor's voice was a strange reptilian and human mix.

"As I said fool, I have the power now." The gray robed man replied.

Toranaga shook the acid off and slashed at Tien with his claws. The two began to fight in earnest as they blurred in and out of sight. Their speed had far surpassed what normal humans could reach. The throne room was destroyed by the titanic struggle. Eventually Toranaga landed his green-skinned fist into Tien's jaw sending him flying through a wall.

Toranaga leapt after him landing a powerful punch on the floor, Tien just barely dodging. Tien pulled out a dagger covered with seals and plunged it into the Emperors spine.

The Emperor reverted to his human form. With a grimace, he pulled the dagger out and attempted to change back.

"I think you'll find summoning your dragon spirit impossible." The corrupted master said, cracking his neck.

"What have you done?" Toranaga demanded.

"Oh, nothing that will concern you. I was going to let you live as a favour, but summoning your guards has put me in a bad mood. Still, in honour of your family I'll make it quick." Tien answered

"The other Orders will defy you Tien, you have trespassed on the realm of God and they will end you." The Emperor said with a snarl.

"What do I care for an apathetic God? What do I care for the other orders? They are weak, soft, and lack the vision to stop the Immortals." The sinister monk said with a cruel and evil smile.

"Three gifts the God above All gave my family. The gift of the dragon, the gift of long life, and the gift of prophecy. Now hear this last prophecy of the Qinglong's:

"The True Immortals, traitors of the Light, shall be broken and forgotten; their great heroes defamed their mighty powers worthless, they shall die alone, unloved with no priests to chant funeral prayers for them. Broken, their descendents will try to regain their glory but they too shall die and the new heirs to the empire shall rise in their place. This I proclaim as Toranaga Qinglong 40th emperor of the Dragon Empire." Toranaga replied.

"Impressive speech fool, but you're wrong." Tien said picking up the Emperor by his neck.

"They said the same during the Jolly Dove's Rebellion." The old man managed to gasp out.

With a scowl, Tien snapped his neck. Looking around at the destruction, he shook his head and left out the front door.

**Border**

"We were the youngest guards on duty that day. We were forced to watch and do nothing as our Emperor, a man most of us consider family, was murdered. That day began the war as we realized the truth behind the disappearances." Huang Di said making the gesture of respect at the mention of the Emperor.

"I see, but what was the point of the tale? I mean no disrespect to you but I fail to see why you told me." Naruto said nonplussed.

"Simple boy, you needed to hear it. We all remember the feeling of having to do everything ourselves, about having to be strong with no doubts." Fu Xi answered.

"The tale was to show you that we too are human. It also showed you just how strong our opponents were when the war began. If we can triumph so can you." Shennong continued.

"I see. I am ready for the second Ordeal." Naruto said, getting slightly annoyed at the fact that they kept talking in sync.

"Begin." Huang Di said.

Earlier Naruto had screamed in agony. Now his screams were of joy as he experienced all the pleasure and happiness that this world has to offer.

**Konoha Hospital**

"What the heck is going on?" Genma shouted as the whirling winds tore throw the hallway. At the far side, where the entrance to Naruto's room was, a solid sheet of opaque chakra pulsed.

"I don't know. There was a burst of chakra and now this!" The Head doctor shouted back.

"Go take care of your other patients." Asuma said.

"Hai..." The doctor said retreating down the stairs. He definitely hadn't signed on for this.

"Can we get through?" The senbon chewing Jonin asked.

"Not with anything we could use in a hospital..." The bearded Jonin answered.

"What about one of those really overpowered attack jutsus?"

"You mean like the Rasengan or Chidori? Maybe, but we'd have to get down the hallway and even then there's no guarantee that the backlash wouldn't harm the hospital." Asuma answered shaking his head.

"Well how far does barrier extend? Maybe we can go through the roof or floor?" The bandana wearing man said.

"Need a Hyuuga to find out." Asuma said in a grunt. Making a quick shadow clone Asuma sent it to fetch one.

"That kid just keeps making my life difficult." The senbon chewing Jonin said.

"It's what all Genin do. I remember my last team had this emo kid, his fan girl, and a hyperactive sociopath. Took me 3 years to turn them into Chunin, but I remember thinking at the start that I was going to go insane dealing with them." Asuma said chuckling.

"Yeah I know, but I thought this would be an easy team, two clan ninja's so not a lot of training for them and one monk so only some ninjutsu training. Easiest team in years! But no, he had to have a bunch of secrets come out of nowhere and make it all complicated." The bandana wearing Jonin said fiddling with a senbon.

"It happens with monks." The former Fire Guardian said philosophically.

"What did you learn with the Fire Guardians anyway?" Genma asked.

"Lots of things." The chain-smoking Jonin said trying to light a cigarette. Genma scowled as they both watched the barrier.

"You called for me Shinobi-san?" A branch house member asked.

"Yes, can you tell me how far that barrier goes?" The bearded Jonin said.

"No I cannot see through it, and the area around it seems blocked off as well." The Hyuuga said with a slight shrug of apology.

"All right you can go." Genma said nodding to show he understood.

"So now we wait." Asuma scowled as he gave up trying to light the cigarette.

**Border**

'_Will you give this up? Turn away from all this? Will you go back to a world full of pain and misery? Will you?'_ A voice asked as Naruto reached the end of it. He was now, mentally at least, in a perfect world. Naruto was happy here there was no pain; he had a family, people who loved him and more. Yet as Naruto felt his girlfriend kiss him on the cheek his mind and spirit began to rebel.

"This isn't real...it feels so good, but it isn't real. Pain it defines us but it does not control us. There is no pain without joy, no sorrow without happiness, and there is no freedom without sacrifice!" Naruto began quietly but by the end, he was shouting and flaring his chakra as the world shattered around him.

"I am a free man, my fate is my own, and neither the chains of pain or pleasure will stop me!" The blond shouted as the world tried to come back. With that, the world disappeared.

"Very good, you have passed the second ordeal." Huang Di said adroitly, not commenting on the streams of water running down Naruto's face.

"That was much harder than I expected." The blond said his voice even.

"Let it out boy." Fu Xi said.

Naruto held out for a minute or two before screaming to the sky at what he had lost by his own choice.

"Good. Now comes the hard part. We cannot tell you how to become a Saint that is your own path. Suffice to say that until you dedicate yourself to one thing alone you will not achieve it. Come we now go to talk The Judge." Shennong continued after Naruto calmed down.

**Courtroom**

"We are to discuss the disposition of one Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze's body. The Kyuubi No Kitsune laid claim to it. However, Naruto himself had disputed this claim. At this time, there is no clear decision of who is stronger. Mentally they are equal and their other strengths cancel each other out." The Judge said.

The Judge looked like a man wearing flowing dark robes and holding in his hands a scale and a sword. Power flowed from him subtly even as he sat and waited.

"What is to be done then Judge?" The demon demanded.

"Patience Kyuubi, I was there when the Good God chained you, I know how to do it again. I wish to hear your arguments for and against allowing the Kyuubi to take control of Naruto's body." The Judge said.

"It is mine by right and power as way of apology for what was done to me. I was dragged away from my home to fight in these pathetic human wars. And then they had the audacity to seal me!" Kyuubi said in a bombastic tone.

"Not so Kyuubi, Yes you were summoned but unless you wanted to go, the summoning would not have worked. Even then, it was your thoughtless assault that caused a good man to sacrifice both himself and his son to stop you." Huang Di retorted.

"The ritual—"The red fox said with venom.

"Only guided you like a compass pointing north. You had no need to give in unless you wanted to." Fu Xi cut him off with a sharp gesture.

"My power is stronger than his!" The Kyuubi said as his last resort.

"No it isn't, be thankful that we are here demon or I would put you down myself!" Shennong scowled.

"It seems that we are at an impasse...very well a duel then. You shall both be given four tails of power in the form you prefer. The last tail shall be in a medallion. This medallion shall be split in half and one side given to both of you. The Kyuubi shall be given a temporary body to do with as he will.

In five years, you two shall meet at the ruins of Mt. Shaoshi and fight. This will be an all or nothing battle, the winner gets the losers chakra and becomes the new Nine-Tailed Fox." The Judge said after deliberating for a moment.

"I will never---"The demon began.

"ENOUGH REYNARD! YOU WILL SUBMIT TO THIS OR I WILL SEND YOU TO THE OUTER DARK! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" The Judge shouted holding the sword at the fox's throat.

"Hai..." The Kyuubi said quietly.

"Very well, it begins now." the Judge said and placed his scale between the two of them.

Power, raw and unstoppable, flowed out of both Naruto and the Kyuubi. The power was concentrated into an eight-pointed star around a yin and yang circle. After all of their power had been drawn from them both collapsed. The Judge then used his blade to bisect the star perfectly taking one half, putting in Naruto, and placing the other half in the Kyuubi. The Yin part of the circle then became an amulet around Naruto's neck. The Yang half of the circle becoming the other half of the amulet on the Kyuubi's neck.

The Kyuubi itself become a mirror image of Naruto with cerulean blue hair and bright yellow eyes. They both stood up.

"Now Reynard, you will be placed in your den and Naruto shall be placed in his home." The Judge said and in a flash of light all went dark.

**Namikaze Estate**

With a start Naruto sat up. Looking down at his hands he experimentally flexed them. His wrists had been healed.

"Five years to become strong enough to defeat the Kyuubi huh?" The blond said out loud to himself.

It was at this point that a very naked Anko walked out of the master bathroom.

Naruto blinked for a moment, stood up, and calmly walked out of the room. Anko blinked and looked down at her breasts and wondered if they were working properly.

It took some time but Naruto found Hanabi in the dojo. Very calmly, he asked.

"Imoto why was there a naked woman in my room?"

For the first time in her life, Hanabi literally had no idea what to say.

A/N: Here we go sorry about the delay! A thank you to DustBunnyQueen for beta reading this chapter. Alright it's going to be at least a month before I can get another one of these out (Going on vacation won't have time to write) So read, review and enjoy yourselves. Any and all mistakes are my own. Next: Naruto deals with Anko, Konoha recovers from the grip of madness and Black returns.


	9. Chapter 9

**Scene Change(Time)**

'_internal monologue'_

**Namikaze Compound**

"I-I-I don't know." Hanabi stuttered like her sister used to.

"It isn't a hard question Imoto. Only you, Yamato, and I can get into the estate. Yamato is missing and I have not let any strange naked woman into the estate. So why have you?" Naruto asked.

"I didn't, the portal opened up in the dojo on its own." The younger Namikaze said.

"The dojo? There aren't any portals to the dojo except the emergency one. But that can only be opened..." The blond muttered to himself before looking up at Hanabi.

"Imoto, tell me did, she have an orb with her?"

"Hai." The former Hyuuga nodded. Naruto gave a small smile and made his way to the door.

"Nii-san?" The dark haired girl asked.

"Come on, we're going to have a talk with this woman."

"Her name is Anko." Hanabi said.

"Hmm, sounds familiar." The blue-eyed boy said.

"Nii-san, what happen to your whiskers?" The younger Namikaze asked as they walked down the hall.

"It's a long story I intend to tell it later. But I'm all right promise." Naruto answered.

"Hey, you're back, decided you couldn't resist?" Anko said lounging on the bed in a far too small bathrobe.

"I have no idea as to what you're talking about. Anko-san, can you show me the orb you used to get in here?" The former monk said.

"Uh sure..." The spike haired Jonin answered wondering what the hell it took to get this kid flustered.

"I see, this is a sanctuary orb. I assumed they were all destroyed after the war." Naruto said holding the orb.

"Sanctuary orb?" Both girls asked.

"It was a rare trust given to those who the Clan thought might need it. It allowed those that had it a one way portal into the compound. There were only five created one for each of the five kinds of people we would give the orb to; fathers, mothers, children, priests, and warriors. This is a children orb, used when the Clan head thought the child might be abused but too afraid to tell anyone." The blue-eyed boy explained.

"So what does that mean?" The snake mistress asked.

"Legally, you are now my daughter...." Naruto answered stone faced.

"What?" Anko said her mouth open in shock.

"To protect the child; the orb, once used, activates an adoption clause in both Clan law and Konoha law." The blond said with a shrug.

"But I'm an adult!" The dango loving woman said angrily.

"Admittedly so, but I don't know of anything that specifically refers to this. When did you receive that orb anyway?" The former monk said without much reaction to Anko's outburst.

"When I was 14."

"My Otou-san probably intended to give you another orb once you reached the age of majority, but died before he could then." The blond said stroking his chin.

"So then the orb is useless to me?" Anko asked.

"No, it's still quite valid by clan law. Unless you file for emancipation or I or my guardian declares you an adult, you are my daughter." The formerly whiskered boy answered.

"Fuck."

"Yes, why did you come here anyway?" Naruto asked.

The two girls told the story as best they could.

"I see. Hanabi are you certain about what you saw?" The former monk asked.

"Hai." Hanabi answered nodding.

"Brace yourselves." The blond said, and a small wave of chakra went out from him. It did no harm but shocked both of the other people.

"What the hell was that?" Anko shouted.

"I was pulsing my chakra, I needed to be sure." Naruto answered before launching his hand out and catching something in his hand.

"Got you...you're a nasty one...burn." The former monk said, incinerating something.

"Ehh?" Hanabi said seeing the thing from earlier go up in smoke.

"So they did do it." The blond muttered.

"What are you?" Anko asked cautiously. The amount of control it took to turn chakra into flame without hand signs was not a small thing. And this boy seemed to think it trivial.

"With all due respect Anko-san, I have to go welcome the family." Naruto answered bowing before running off.

"He doesn't seriously think of me as his daughter does he?" The snake mistress asked.

"I honestly don't know, Nii-san is a strange one." Hanabi replied with a shrug.

**Hokage Tower**

Black walked up to the side of the Hokage tower. He had been ordered by Blue to cause as much trouble as possible. Now, he didn't mind these kinds of orders. After the monastery and all its rules and regulations, Black had come to love chaos and causing it was his idea of a pleasant afternoon.

"Hmm....let's try this." The man said concentrating his chakra around his fist. Black reached back and punched the wall.

At the last second, a hand strike diverted the punch into the ground causing a crater. Black leapt back and glared at the man who had interrupted his fun.

"Impressive, but I can't let you guys run around free anymore." A tall man with green eyes and silver hair said.

"Silver, why do you always have to ruin my fun?" Black scowled.

"Because, Black, I remembered who I was." Silver answered.

"You mean a boring hero?" Black said.

"Yeah, that."

"Well maybe you're still entertaining." The crazed man said sliding into a stance.

"You know you can be healed too; all of you can." Silver said sliding into his own stance.

"No! I'm not going back to that pathetic thing I was before!" Black shouted his eyes narrowing.

"So be it." Silver said with a sigh.

"Give me a good fight!" Black roared before leaping forward.

Sarutobi had heard the crash, and with his ANBU, moved to investigate. The scene before them was almost surreal. They were using nothing but their bodies but the two men had destroyed much of the surrounding area. As the silver haired man launched a hook kick, taking out the side of a building, Sarutobi reached a decision.

"Take them down." The old Kage said without emotion.

"Hai." The ANBU captain said.

Now, one might think that ANBU were merely created in order to show when a threat was serious. But that wasn't quite fair. ANBU was divided into two separate but related groups, the Offensive squadrons or the Defensive squadrons. Use the right squadron, and they could be tremendous force multipliers. Misuse them, and they died just like any other cannon fodder.

Sarutobi knew how to use them.

The ANBU were ninja in the truest sense of the word. This led them to trying to attempt to assassinate the two duelling monks. Given the amount of property damage being done, it was rather difficult. Still, the ninja preserved, finally landing a kunai into the silver haired man's spine.

"Oh for the love of..." Silver snarled as he collapsed, his legs no longer responding to his commands.

"Sorry Silver, you lose this time. Maybe some other day." Black said leaping away from the scene.

"You guys suck!" Silver growled.

"Watch your tongue!" The ANBU captain said with a snarl.

"I'll get working on that I assure you. Now get me to a hospital!" Silver deadpanned.

"You're in no place to make demands."

"Who are you? And what is your connection to the dark order?" The Hokage asked, making his way to the downed man.

"By the One Above, another monk lives?" Silver asked blinking in amazement.

"Answer the question."

"I was once a servant of the dark order. I had been...forced into service by the Master. But a few years back, I was involved in a ritual. I don't know what it was, but the result was me returning to who I was before. Since then I have done what I could to stop the dark order." The green eyed man answered

"Sir?" the ANBU captain asked.

"Throw him into one of the chakra draining cells then heal him up later. Have Ibiki find out the truth from him." Hiruzen said after a moment.

"Wait! I'm on your side!" Silver shouted.

"I have no proof of this. You wear similar robes to the man who just left, and both of you were harming my village. If you truly are on our side then you have nothing to fear." The Sandaime said, his eyes hard.

"Blast." Silver said; admittedly, the Hokage had a point.

**Hyuuga Compound**

"Well that was an interesting few days." Hiashi commented as he and his daughter drank tea, as was their custom.

"Yes it was father... that the council could fall to infighting like that." Hinata said thinking back.

*Flashback*

The elders had met for their weekly meeting. The weekly meeting was originally used to figure out how to improve the Hyuuga clan's prestige and take care of minor matters that the clan head was too busy for. However, it had evolved into something else; with each elder jockeying for position and influence within the clan. The stakes were slavery or power and they all willingly chose to play.

Those that didn't, for some reason or other, always seemed to have accidents. There had been more than a few elders muttering about them as of late. That was when the fiends made their presence known. Now, understand every person in that room hated each other in some form or fashion. Thus, when Elder Hoshi killed Hiroshi all hell broke loose.

*End Flash back*

"It is a sad thing to lose so many good Hyuuga clansmen to whatever it was. But still we have much to discuss." The Hyuuga Patriarch said.

"What is that Otou-sama?"

"In case you haven't noticed Hinata, the main branch consists exactly of five people; you and me and the three surviving elders. The three elders that survived are gibbering madmen right now and useless to us."

"So we are the last viable members of the Main House?" Hinata asked with a slight twitch to her face.

"Correct, and whatever happens, the Branch House shall become the future of the Hyuuga clan. If you marry outside the clan, the Main house ends and the Branch house shall lead. As much as I despise the thought of any man outside the clan touching you my daughter, I would prefer it if you married sooner rather than later so I may properly groom a successor." The grim faced man said.

"I am not betrothed already?" The Hyuuga heiress asked in shock.

"No, who told you that nonsense? I would not betroth you; your mother made it clear that it wasn't an option." Hiashi asked with one eyebrow raised.

"I assumed..."

"Remember; assume nothing is true without seeing it with your own eyes. Now you are free to choose your own husband, provided he is of the proper station."

"What of the Namikaze?" Hinata asked quietly.

"What of them? They shall remain under our anathema until I die. That is the nature of such things." The Hyuuga patriarch said without expression.

"I see."

"I know you still care for the Namikaze boy, but if I were to revoke the anathema it would say that the clan is weak." Hiashi said gently.

"I understand Otou-sama, what else do we have to discuss?" The indigo haired girl asked.

"Tell me, how you are progressing within your team?" The Hyuuga patriarch asked.

"Hai." Hinata said and began to talk about the past few weeks, carefully editing the parts that would be frowned upon.

**Rusty Kunai (night)**

Tsume walked into the bar with Shibi and sat down with the elder Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

"You look like a mess Tsume!" Inoichi called.

"I am a mess Inoichi. The entire damn clan went crazy, dozens injured, more if the pack hadn't intervened."

"There've been stories like that all over town recently. People murdering others, rape, the works. My own family just stopped working entirely; troublesome." Shikaku scowled before taking a long shot of sake.

"Yeah, my family was lucky, we just ate everything. Set us back a fair bit and some of us came down with indigestion, but we're okay." Chouza said grabbing some food.

"Wish I could say the same. I have more than a few clan traitors to kill. I'm just glad that Ino wasn't here to be involved." Inoichi said with a dark glower.

"I feel the same. Little has happened to the Aburames, but I'm glad that my son was not here during the recent troubles." Shibi said after asking for a glass of water.

"Well Shibi, you're just about the only one without any problems. I wonder why the Aburames were spared." Tsume said knocking back a shot of some unnamed alcohol.

"Whatever the cause of this affliction is, it seems to target the mind. Our bonding with insects perhaps provides some protection." The Aburame clan head said. A slight shrug seemed to indicate 'hell if I know'.

"That might be it; in either case I need another drink." The feral woman said, shouting at a waitress for the last part.

"How do you think the other clans are doing?" Chouza asked.

"Something happened with the Hyuuga, but no one knows what. If my wife is to be believed, the other clans came out mostly okay. They're too few in number to really get worked up about." Shikaku was a lazy man, but also a genius; in particular, he had developed an ability to decipher the true situation just using bits of random gossip.

"Think the Hokage's going to call a council meeting?" Inoichi asked.

"I doubt it, too much work to be done first, with what happened near the tower. Maybe in a week or so." Chouza said frowning; some of his businesses had been damaged by that fight.

"What about the Elders?" Shibi asked calmly sipping his water.

"They might force one, but Sarutobi-sama has been much more forceful as of late. They will be wary of unduly angering him." Inoichi said taking another longer drink.

"Homura and Koharu have always been arrogant and that bastard Danzo is no better." Tsume growled.

"Calm yourself Tsume, regardless of your feelings against him Danzo is a well respected ninja." The Aburame head said calmly.

"Bastard doesn't deserve half of it." The tattooed woman said with a snarl.

"Let's talk about something else..." Shikaku said before the troublesome woman got in another bar fight.

**Hokage Tower (Night)**

"Naruto what are you doing here?" Hiruzen asked as he read over the preliminary report on this Silver fellow.

"Master Sarutobi, I have something to tell you about the Kyuubi. Bring anyone you feel needs to know to the Namikaze compound." The blond answered bowing.

"What about the Kyuubi?" Sandaime said sitting up straight and giving a very hard glare.

"It is a long tale; I only wish to tell it once Master Sarutobi." Naruto said unaffected.

"No, you will tell me now Naruto, you are under my command remember?" The Sandaime said in a very cold tone.

"Of course, forgive me Master Sarutobi." The blue eyed boy said with another bow.

"Hokage-sama. " Genma said walking into the room; he and Asuma had given up waiting for the barrier to fall.

"Ahh Genma, Asuma good of you to arrive; Naruto has something to tell us." The Hokage said his earlier tone vanished.

"Naruto? But isn't he behind that barrier?" Genma asked.

"I was Genma-sensei, but I am no longer." The blond agreed

"My life is about to get more complicated isn't it?" The senbon chewing jonin asked.

"Usually does." Asuma agreed lighting up a cigarette

"Remind me to not take another team." The bandana wearing man said. Asuma nodded.

"Genma stop whining. Naruto continue." Hiruzen said with a frown.

"Yes, well, the Kyuubi escaped." The blond began.

"WHAT!" All three shouted.

"Calm down, his power has been severely limited; he only has four and half tails." The blond said defensively.

"I have the other half of his power. My half has been purified into Holy chakra, the rest is still demonic. We are set to meet at the ruins of the monastery at Mt. Shaoshi. The winner will become the new Kyuubi; as it stands I will lose." He continued.

"So why should we be calm again?" Asuma asked lighting another cigarette after dropping the first one on the floor.

"Because getting worked up about the Kyuubi won't change the situation. Naruto why do you say you will lose?" The Sandaime said.

"He has had millennia of experience with his chakra and combat. I have considerably less." The former monk answered with a small frown.

"What happens if you don't show up?" Genma asked, nervously chewing on a senbon.

"I have no idea, but on the other hand I have no desire to fight the being that is creating this contest anyway." The blue-eyed boy said.

"Powerful?" The Sandaime asked. Naruto had never been one for fear before, but whatever this thing was, it had him spooked.

"Made the Kyuubi submit." Naruto answered.

"So, capable of kicking all our asses then." Asuma commented after taking a long drag

"So that is why you have no whiskers?" The Hokage asked curious.

"Yes I am no longer a jinchuruki. Although the holy chakra is immense, other than slightly boosting my healing and perceptions it carries no marks." The blond answered.

"So know we have to deal with the Kyuubi." Genma groaned wishing for a drink.

"No, there's a truce until that day, Konoha should be safe. To be honest, I have no idea what the Kyuubi is doing now." Naruto said shaking his head the frown deepening.

"Great, the Akatsuki is just going to love this." The old Kage said.

"The who?" Naruto asked.

"A rather secretive organization that apparently wishes to steal all the biju." The Sandaime explained.

"Well that idea is pointless." The chain-smoking Jonin said.

"Yes, but I don't think they are going to give up that easily." Hiruzen said with a wry smile.

"As you say Master Sarutobi." The blond agreed.

"So what now Hokage-sama?" Genma asked.

"We wait and tell Naruto to fix this problem." The Sandaime said.

"I have several clones working on that. On a slightly related note, Anko Mitarashi is now a ward of the Namikaze." Naruto said with a tone that would've been called a whine if it had been anyone else.

"What?" For the second time that day all three men asked.

"She used the children's orb of sanctuary." The former monk said with a shrug.

"Minato gave her that?" Hiruzen asked in surprise.

"From what I gather, my father intended to change the orb but never got a chance. " The blue-eyed boy said.

"O.K. then; damned clan laws." The Sandaime muttered the last part.

"Wait he's telling the truth?" Asuma asked wondering how Kurenai was going to take her best friend being under someone's guardianship.

"Yes, legally Anko Mitarashi is Naruto Namikaze Uzumaki's adopted daughter." Hiruzen said and lit his pipe.

"Say, Naruto, what's your policy on dates?" Genma said getting a perverted grin.

"Dammit Genma." Asuma scowled.

"Genma-sensei has much to learn on the path to enlightenment." Naruto said shaking his head. It was far too late, as Genma had gone off to the male fantasy land.

"Snap out of it you bastard!" The younger Sarutobi growled, shaking Genma.

"You may leave Naruto, I doubt Genma's going to be of any use tonight." The old Kage said with a sigh.

"By your leave then Master Sarutobi." The former monk bowed and left.

"Screw it; I'm going to see Kurenai." Asuma said, dropping Genma on the floor and leaving.

The Sandaime got back to work, figuring that Genma would snap out of it later. A half hour past and the gurgling sounds Genma made began to get annoying.

"Genma, you have five seconds to snap out of it before I tell Kurenai and Anko that you stole their bras." Hiruzen had no idea if this was true, but it sounded like something Genma would do.

"Yes sir, sorry sir, anything I can do sir?" The senbon chewing Jonin snapped straight up and stood at attention.

"Go prepare to get your team back in the swing of things. I want them in the chuunin exam if possible."

"Yes sir!" Genma shouted before running away.

**Namikaze Compound**

"Here we go master." The clone said handing a sheet filled with archaic symbols and scribbles.

"Hmm, this going to take a lot of time." Naruto said reading over the sheet.

"The other clones have already prepared everything, just needs the right incantations and chakra." The clone said.

"All right, go get Hanabi and then dispel." The original said after a moment. The clone nodded and left the room as Naruto made his way to the prepared chamber.

"Hello Hanabi-chan." Naruto smiled.

"Nii-san what are you doing?" Hanabi asked looking at her brother standing without a shirt in a middle of a rather complex series of seals.

"Well, in theory this should free the town from the plague." The blond answered as he gathered his chakra.

"Oh. Why do you need me?" The younger Namikaze, despite her outward demeanour, was actually ecstatic she hated those things.

"Well, I expect that I'll pass out from chakra exhaustion. I want you to make sure I don't die." The Namikaze heir explained.

"Wouldn't Anko-san be better?" The former Hyuuga asked a little nervous.

"In terms of ability, yes, but that taint of hers means she can't be near the ritual without messing it up." Naruto answered.

"I'll try my best Neii-san." Hanabi said.

Naruto smiled and closed his eyes. He began to chant something in a language that was harsh and guttural. Chakra whirled about him in a storm of light and shadow as the symbols on the floor began to glow.

"It is done." Naruto said at last sweat pouring off him. He gave a small smile before collapsing.

"Nii-san!" Hanabi said going through the seals needed to use the byakugan.

'_There's...no fox, only that holy chakra of his. Nii-san nearly killed himself with that! That baka. Still, it looks like he'll be okay he just needs to rest for a while.'_ Hanabi thought as she checked over her older brother.

"Anko-san!" Hanabi called.

"What?" The trench coat wearing woman asked a few minutes later.

"Can you help me get Nii-san to his room he has heavy chakra exhaustion." The younger girl said.

"What did he do?" The brown-eyed woman asked.

"Nii-san said that he was removing the plague on this town. The things that caused all these problems." Hanabi explained.

"Good for him *Grunt* he's a lot heavier than he looks." Anko said hefting the unconscious boy over one shoulder.

"Nii-san's body is much denser than average." The black haired girl nodded.

"Yeah, no problem, where's his room?" The dango loving Jonin asked. Hanabi lead the way toward the bedroom Naruto had chosen.

"So I have to talk to him later about this daughter thing huh?" Anko asked with a sigh.

"Yes, but I think Nii-san intends to go through with it. He's not capable of not fulfilling a promise." The former Hyuuga answered.

"Good trait to have in a monk, a shitty one in a shinobi." The snake mistress said, whishing there was some sake in this place.

"Yes well, I honestly don't know why Nii-san is here instead of the monastery. But I can't say I'm not glad for it." Hanabi said with a slight smile.

"Yeah?"

"Nii-san was friends with Hinata-san. They were going to use the caged bird seal on me. Hinata-san found out and got me out of the compound to him. Originally, I was supposed to go to his monastery, but they don't accept girls so instead he adopted me as a Namikaze." The younger girl said.

"All because a friend asked him to? That'd be kind of impressive, if it wasn't so clichéd." Anko said with a wry grin.

"Nani?"

"Don't you read any stories? Guys that do anything for their friends are a dime a dozen. Have to admit I never thought I'd meet one in the real world." The snake mistress said.

"Oh, the Hyuuga have never had much use for stories; better to concentrate on the here and now." Hanabi quoted from memory.

"That's kind of sad; a lot of people draw a lot of joy from stories." The trench coat wearing woman said.

"Does that sound like the Hyuuga clan to you?" The former Hyuuga asked raising an eyebrow.

"No."

"Sleep well Nii-san." Hanabi said as they put Naruto to bed. As they got to the door, Anko asked.

"One more question, is Naruto gay?"

'_Why does this keep happening to me?' _ Hanabi thought with a mental groan.

A/N: Okay all done this chapter. As always a big thanks to DustbunnyQueen for betaing my atrocious grammer. If you feel like writing something give my challenges a try. Otherwise read, give feedback and I'll see you next time. Next: Anko learns the meaning of curfew, Yamato makes his way home and The Wave mission returns with some causalities.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay...shit...it's been that long? Alright this is unfortunately one of those author notes of doom.

Well not quite. I'm slowly but surely rewriting the story. Thing is that it's taken such a different plot that I really can't call it the same story anymore. I admit I like the concept I'm currently working with but it's not this story.

But before I kill it....I'll tell you how it ends. I don't have my notes so this is mostly from memory.

Naruto dies facing the Kyuubi. However is able to do just enough damage that another character (Probably Rock Lee or Shino I wasn't sure when I wrote the outline) is able to finish the job and kill the Kyuubi.

Both the Dark Order and the Akatsuki go at it. The end result is Madara wins but looses most of his forces. However with Naruto dead along with the Kyuubi his plan doesn't work. Konoha as a whole is able to defeat him.

Gaara would also die. The Sand-Sound invasion still happens and Naruto still fights him. But Naruto would end up using the Five Pronged seal. And because of how connected Gaara is to Shukaku it kills him. Forcing Naruto to seal the Ichbi again.

Hanabi would take over Naruto's role and rebuild the order the story would've ended with her telling it to the assorted new acolytes.

Anko ends up getting help with seal. She never fully integrates back into Konoha but serves as a loyal ninja and retainer for the Namikaze until her death.

Hinata ends up leading the Hyuuga into a new golden age after defeating her father in single combat.

Genma dies during the Sound/Sand Invasion

Asuma dies in the fourth war

Kurenai survives and eventually retires to settle down with Iruka

Iruka for his part teaches well into his 50's

Kakashi becomes the Godaime when he retires he hands the position to Shino.

Neji as per usual goes through the epiphany therapy that Naruto tends to give. Usually with massive beatings.

Sasuke would defect after Naruto's death. But fail as Rock Lee puts him down.

Ino? She would have retired and eventually started a relationship with someone (Possibly Kankuro)

Rock Lee would end up as one Shino's personal guards. Eventually taking on a young student to educate in the ways of Youth

The rest of the Rookies would have continued to grow and live. Helping ensure the Long Peace Between the fourth(Madara's War) and Fifth Ninja wars.

If someone wants to use this plot or idea go right ahead.

Again I'm sorry that things turned out this way. And I'm very sorry that all of you waited so long just to get this...it wasn't fair to you and I apologize.


End file.
